Big Brother
by tealpaperclip27
Summary: This is the story of Dean becoming a big brother. From his parents telling him that he will soon become a big brother and the next few months that follow. I'll be updating about once a week.
1. Chapter 1

"Whatcha doin'?" Dean asked bouncing on the balls of his feet in the doorway of a room that had been an extra bedroom for his whole life, but now for, some reason, his dad was emptying it.

"Nothing, kiddo," John answered. "I'll explain later."

"Can I help?" Dean asked. "I'm a good helper."

"I don't think so," John answered. "Why don't you go see what your mom's doing? Maybe she could use some help."

"She's reading her book," Dean replied. "It's a grown up book. She told me to go play. So I go-ed upstairs to help. Why are you movin' all the stuff? Where are the people gonna sleep when they visit?"

"Don't worry about it, Dean," John dismissed. "Just go play with your Batman or whatever."

"But I want to help," Dean whined. "I'm almost four Daddy, that's basically a grown up."

"No it's not," John chuckled. "You're not a grown up 'til you can't use your fingers to count your age."

"Oh," Dean said, bouncing on his feet. "Well, I'm still getting big. I can help. I can move little things."

"Yeah, sure fine," John conceded. "Come here."

Dean squealed excitedly and ran over. "What can I do?"

"Can you move that footstool?" John asked pointing at the piece of furniture. Dean nodded. "Push that into Mom and Dad's room."

Dean nodded and took to the task. The stool was almost as high as he was and hard to push across the carpet, but he did his very best. He pushed it out into the hallway and to the next room over, leaving it at the end of his parents' bed, like it used to be in the guest room. He sprinted back to see what he got to do next. He walked up to his dad and stood next to him, hands clasped behind his back just like his dads were.

"I'm gonna have to pound in some nails," John sighed.

"I gotta hammer!" Dean exclaimed, rushing out of the room across the hall to return a few seconds later with a tool belt he'd gotten for Christmas two weeks earlier. "I can help real good now."

"Yeah okay," John shook his head grabbing a real hammer out of his tool box.

"I need you to buckle this," Dean instructed, holding the tool belt up. "I don't know how."

"Alright," John smiled kneeling down. "If you're gonna help, you can't get in the way when I'm swinging the big hammer. Okay? You stay by the window and work on that board. I'll do this one."

Dean nodded with whole body and gave a thumb's up. "No more stitches."

"Exactly," John ruffled Dean's hair a pointed over to the window.

* * *

Mary was starting to think she needed to carry a disposable camera with her at all times, there was something so adorable about the way Dean tried to do everything John did. Dean following in John's shadow carrying a plastic hammer from his tool set while John carried a real one was one of the cutest things Mary had ever seen. She was overjoyed that John had given in and let him help. She knew how often Dean helping was actually him being in the way, but it was nice to see her husband putting in the effort. She leaned against the door frame watching.

"You boys working up working up an appetite?" Mary asked.

Dean spun around nodding.

"I got some sandwiches downstairs waiting."

"Cut in a triangle?" Dean asked, wiping his forehead with his arm like he was sweating, the same way John did.

"Of course," Mary smiled.

Dean pushed his way passed his mother and thundered down the stairs.

"You'd think he'd never eaten before," John chuckled.

"Growin' boy," Mary smiled. "You explain what he's building up here?"

"No," John shook his head as he walked over to her and pressed his hand against her belly. "All he knows is he's making a shelf. Well, banging a plastic hammer on a two by four while I build a shelf, but he thinks he's helping."

"I think we should tell him," Mary said. "Before he asks me if I'm getting fat."

"He wouldn't do that," John replied.

"Yeah well," Mary shrugged. "We should tell him."

"Right now?" John asked.

"Yeah," Mary nodded. "The book said to tell them around now. I mean, I was just reading the big sibling chapters, and it's good to get them involved early. So, you know, since he's already helping, I figured he might as well know what he's helping with."

"Whatever you want," John nodded. "I was thinking that we just didn't tell him until we brought it home. Surprise him. Just show up with a baby one day. That way he can't throw a temper tantrum about it."

"You're an idiot," Mary laughed shaking his head.

"Your idiot," John smiled kissing her forehead.

"Momma!" a loud voice called from downstairs. "I can't reach it."

"Just a second, Baby," Mary called back. "I'll be right there."

* * *

Mary sat across the table from Dean, wondering how the hell someone could end up with peanut butter in their hair while eating a sandwich. It was a wonder any of it ended up in his stomach, but on the other hand, that would explain why he was hungry all the time.

Dean's eyes flicked between his parents. He could tell something was up; they were looking at him funny.

"Am I in trouble?" Dean asked, licking peanut butter off corner of his mouth.

"No," Mary smiled.

"Then why are you looking at me like that?" Dean scrunched his face up in concentration. "That's the Dean's in big trouble look."

"Me and Daddy gotta talk to you about something real important," Mary said.

"Okay," Dean nodded.

"How would you feel about having a little brother or sister?" Mary asked carefully.

"I would not like that one bit," Dean answered seriously shaking his head.

"Why?" Mary asked unable to hide concern from her expression.

"Cuz," Dean shrugged. "Jamie 'cross the street has a brother, and he steals all his toys. And one time he eated them. I saw it. He just put a car right in his mouth. And then he had to go to the doctor and get it amoved. I do not need that. And I do not like girls, they are mean. And sisters are usually girls."

"Alright," John sighed. "This is gonna be fun."

"Dean," Mary said sweetly. "What if we, me and Daddy, told you that we were going to have a baby?"

"I would say, 'No thanks,'" Dean smiled, eating the rest of sandwich. "I don't need a sister or brother. I'm all good by myself."

"Dean," Mary cleared her throat and switched seats so she was sitting next to him. She picked up a napkin, licked it and started to scrub the peanut butter off his face. "At the end of April, Daddy and I are going to bring home a new baby, a brother or sister. That's what Daddy been doing in the guest room. He's making a room for the baby."

Dean sighed and shrugged. "Can I help pick it out?" he asked.

"What?" Mary chuckled.

"The brother or sister," Dean clarified. "Can I help pick them out when you go get it?"

"Oh, sweetheart," Mary stammered.

"Mom and I already picked it out," John jumped it. "We got the pieces for Christmas, like your train set. We just gotta wait for it to be ready."

"What?" Dean looked between his parents confused. "I don't understand."

"We already picked out the baby," John tried. "It just has to grow."

"How come you didn't ask me to help?" Dean asked. "Now what if my brother or sister is a mean face? Or a toy eater? What if it's a girl? I'm very good at helping. I can help pick it out."

"Dean," Mary sighed. "_Picking out_ a baby is something only Mommies and Daddies can do, not kids. But you get to help us get ready for the baby. You can help paint, and build things and pick out decorations for the room."

"Do I have to have a brother or sister?" Dean pouted. "Cuz I don't think I want one. I like have you to myself. I don't want to share. What if the brother or sister doesn't like me? What if you like it more than me? What is the new one says 'I don't like Dean' and cuz you like them more than me send me away? I don't wanna go away! I like it here."

"Baby," Mary took Dean's cheeks in her hands. "We would never send you away. And the new baby will love you, because you'll be the big brother. And you can teach the new baby all sorts of stuff."

"I don't know," Dean mumbled. "You shoulda asked me first."

"We're asking you now," John nodded.

"Well, I said no," Dean pouted. "And you said too bad. That's not fair."

"Sweetheart," Mary kissed him on the forehead. "Me and Daddy are going to make sure that the new baby likes you and you'll get to help us get ready. Get the room ready and help pick out stuff for the room and all sorts of stuff."

"I don't like this," Dean sighed. "But this is like when you ask me if I want to the doctor and I say no, and you say I hafta go anyway, isn't it?"

"Yes," John said firmly. "It's just like that."

"Okay," Dean looked down at his empty plate sadly. "I guess I will be nice to it. As long as you don't make it sleep in my bed. I do not want it to have my bed. Or my Batmans. It gets its own Batmans."

"Okay," Mary smiled. "We can work with that."

"Can I see it?" Dean asked.

"The baby?" Mary asked.

Dean nodded enthusiastically. "I want to see it."

"Umm," Mary shook her head and locked eyes with her husband, who was leaning back in his chair with a smirk on his face. "Well, sweetheart, the new baby's not here yet. It won't be here until after Easter."

"Then what is all talk about?" Dean demanded. "Maybe it will change its mind and not come. Then this will all be silly."

"Dean," John said leaning forward. "You remember how you told me you were a grown up now?"

"Yeah you said I wasn't a grown up til I can't count on my fingers no more," Dean answered.

"Well," John's eyes flicked to Mary. "If you're a big brother, then you'll be kind of like a grown up."

Dean's eyes widened a little bit. "So I can help more? And I can do grown up things, like play on the swing set by myself?"

"Yeah," John nodded. "Grown up stuff like that."

"John," Mary said shaking her head. "Let's not go crazy."

"Trust me," John ensured her. "I think I got this."

"If I'm a big brother," Dean pressed. "Can I walk at the grocery store instead of riding in the cart like a baby?"

"If you don't run off and hold onto the side of the cart," John nodded. "And don't wander off away from your mom."

"Okay," Dean nodded. "I'm not sure if I like this yet, but if I get to be little bit of a grown up, I'll try."

"That's all we really want, buddy," John smiled. "We'll all try it out together. You think you're up to helping me get the new room ready? We got a lot of work to do in there."

Dean nodded. "I'm doing really good at my shelf."

"When you're done with that," Mary smiled. "Maybe you can help me paint, pick out colors and stuff."

"No girl colors," Dean said seriously.

"No girl colors," Mary agreed.

"But when can I meet it?" Dean asked. "Daddy said it had to grow."

"Right now, Dean," Mary paused trying to think about how she was going to word this. "Right now the baby's in here." She placed her hand on her stomach. "That's where babies grow."

Dean shook his head.

"Yeah," Mary smiled. "If you want to, maybe a little later you can talk to it. I'm gonna go to the doctor next week, and they're going to take a picture of the baby, so you can see it then."

"This is really weird," Dean sighed.

"I know sweetie," Mary chuckled. "But we'll get through it together, me, you, and daddy. Sound good?"

Dean nodded. He wasn't sure if he was going to like this baby thing, but he'd try. It seemed like something his mom really wanted. And if there was anything Dean wanted, it was for his mom to be happy.


	2. Chapter 2

Mary sat with Dean on the couch after dinner the night of her doctor's appointment looking at the sonogram picture to wind Dean down for the end of the day.

"How did they doctor see inside you?" Dean asked. "Did you get to wear x-ray glasses?"

"No," Mary laughed. "The doctor puts this clear gooey stuff on my belly and uses a wand thing to make the baby show up on a screen."

"It would be easier with x-ray glasses," Dean replied. "It seems silly to use magic."

"Right," Mary laughed. "It does seem a little silly now that you say that."

"I'm very smart, Momma," Dean explained. "I know lots of things. Are those the baby's feet?"

"Yeah," Mary smiled. "There's one foot and the other foot is right there. There's a little hand. Looks like they baby's waving to ya, doesn't it?"

"Kinda I guess," Dean replied. "Was I ever in a belly?" Dean asked as he poked as his mom.

"Yeah," Mary smiled. "You were in there once."

"In your belly?" Dean questioned wide eyed.

"Yep," Mary answered. "You lived in there. Everybody was in a belly once. Even me and Dad. I think I got some pictures somewhere of when Daddy was still in Nana's belly. I know I got pictures of when you were living in my belly."

"I would like to see them," Dean decided. "Cuz I kinda don't believe you. That sounds like something you maked up."

"Let me up, kiddo," Mary said. "I'll go get them."

Dean sat on the couch kicking his feet back and forth while he waited for his mom to come back from upstairs. All this baby business was a little bit overwhelming. It was hard enough to believe that one baby was inside a mom, but every baby ever was hard to wrap his head around. Mary came down with three different photo albums and placed them on the coffee table. Dean slid down to his knees and looked up at her as she opened the first book.

"That's me and you," Mary said pointing a picture of her a blue dress very pregnant, modeling for her husband behind the camera. "This was about three weeks before you were born. We were living in the other house. Do you remember the other house?"

"I had a green room," Dean nodded. "I was really, really little when we didn't live there anymore."

"Yeah, you were about two and half," Mary smiled. "Right after you did a header down the stairs and cut your head open."

"I was sledding," Dean said. "Daddy said it was okay. But then he got real mad cutted my head and I got brain juice on the carpet."

Mary ran her hand over Dean's head, messing around with his hair, but also running her fingers along the scar that went from his hairline to his eyebrow; something that could have been easily avoided if her husband could have kept a watchful eye on their son for an hour while she got her hair done.

"Are you gonna be that big again?" Dean asked innocently pointing at Mary's belly in the photo. "You look like you got a watermelon in your shirt,"

"Yeah," Mary chuckled. "Probably. Maybe even bigger."

"Wow," Dean replied, eyes wide. "And I fit in there?"

"You were a little bit smaller than you are now," Mary chuckled flipping to the next page. "That's you when were born. Me and you."

"Is that me as a baby?"

"Yes," Mary smiled looking at the pictures from right after Dean was born in the hospital. "That's right after you were born. I think you're maybe an hour old."

"Wow," Dean whispered. "I'm pretty weird looking. Are all babies so weird looking? Is the new baby gonna be weird looking?"

"All babies are very weird looking," Mary confirmed. "I'm sure the new baby will be weird looking too."

"I look like an alien," Dean laughed. "I'm happy I don't look like that no more. Now I'm cute. You look tired."

"Yeah, having a baby is pretty tiring," Mary nodded. "It's pretty hard. But you were worth it. Might not be the prettiest picture but I'm glad I have it."

"You look pretty," Dean said looking up at her. "You always look pretty."

Dean flipped through the pages pretty quickly. This particular album was the tail end of the pregnancy and the first couple of days of Dean's life. They'd gotten a little picture happy, but Mary cherished every last one of those pictures.

"When to I start getting cute?" Dean asked. "I still look like an alien. Nana said that I was always cute, but I think she lied to me."

"I always thought you were cute," Mary smiled. "But you started to look more like you do now when you were a couple months old. "Let's take a look at this one."

Mary laughed and opened the next album; her mother's.

"Who's that? Is that you?" Dean asked.

"No, that's my mom," Mary answered. "That's when she was getting married, a long time ago before I was even born."

"She's pretty like you," Dean said flipping the pages, through other wedding photos. "Is that grandpa?"

"Yeah," Mary replied sadness evident in her voice. She grabbed the third book and thumbed through it for the pictures she wanted to show her son. "This was before I was born, when they bought the house in Lawrence. I think the next page has me in her belly."

Dean turned the page eagerly. "Oh wow, that's you in there? I didn't think you would fit"

"I was littler that you way back then," Mary smiled, and then pointed to a picture on the next page, a black and white photo of her in big dress. "And that's my baby picture."

"You were really little too," Dean announced. "I didn't believe you. It's very hard to believe Momma."

Mary flipped ahead a couple pages to a picture of her in front of a Christmas tree in a tutu. "That's me when I was four, just like you."

Dean continued to flip through the pages, watching as his mom grew up in pictures mesmerized. Mary stopped him every now and again to tell him the memory attached: first day of school, first time her Daddy taught her how to shoot, dance recitals, school plays. He stopped a picture toward the end of the book of Mary standing in front a familiar car.

"That's Daddy's car!" Dean pointed. "Is that the car when it was a baby?"

"Yeah," Mary chuckled. "That's the car when it was a baby. Right after your daddy bought it. That's Daddy right there. The day we moved in together. Then the other book starts, the one with you in it. This one is Daddy and Nana."

"Whoa," Dean stared at the picture wide eyed at a picture of a woman he'd only ever known as a small white haired lady that came to visit a few times a year. "That's Nana? She's not old! Who's that man?"

"That's your dad's dad, Henry," Mary explained, hoping Dean wouldn't ask too many questions, she wasn't exactly sure how to answer them. It wasn't her story to tell.

"I thought his name was Grandpa Mike?" Dean questioned.

"No sweetie," Mary corrected. "It's complicated. Dad will explain it when you're bigger. I think we got enough mind blowing material for one day."

"Okay," Dean nodded as he flipped pages. "Is that Daddy?"

Dean pointed a picture of John in a baptismal gown.

"Yes, it is," Mary answered.

"Why is Daddy wearing a dress?"

"Because Nana put him one," Mary nodded figuring that explaining baptism to a four year old would lead to more questions than necessary this late at night.

"That's Nana getting married?" Dean asked, when Mary flipped to the next section she'd marked. "She's wearing a dress like your mom it first one when she looked like you."

"Yeah," Mary nodded. "That's Daddy, he's thirteen I think."

"That's Daddy as an Army Man?" Dean said pointing to John's enlistment photo.

"He's a marine," Mary corrected. "It's like an army man, but better. That's what your daddy would say anyway."

"He fighted?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Mary nodded. "He got to go to the other side of the world."

"Really!?" Dean asked astounded. "He seed the ocean?"

"Yep," Mary nodded. "Right after he got done with school, when we were first starting dating. Maybe someday he'll tell you about it. He doesn't really like to talk about it very much."

"If I seed the ocean I'd tell everyone," Dean nodded. "I gonna see it someday when I'm big like daddy. Can I take the baby?"

"I don't see why not," Mary smiled. "Maybe me and you and daddy and the baby will drive down to Texas and spend some time at the beach when you two are a little bit bigger."

"I can make my own picture album!" Dean smiled. "With new pictures! You can help, cuz you know how to do it."

"I would like that," Mary replied. She pushed herself up off the sofa to straighten to coffee table.

"I gotta another question," Dean said as he pushed himself back up onto the sofa from the floor.

"What is it, kiddo," Mary replied sitting back down next to him with her copy of What to Expect.

"When does the sister get a name?" Dean asked. "When does it pick its name?"

"Dad and I haven't picked any names out yet," Mary confused.

"You have to pick it?" Dean questioned. "The baby doesn't just get its name?"

"No," Mary chuckled. "Dad and I get to decide what its name is. Like how you named your teddy bear."

"His name is Bear," Dean said softly. "You're not gonna name the baby Baby are you? Jamie will make fun of me if I gots a sister named Baby. And that's what Daddy calls the car. The sister can't have the same name as the car. That's just silly."

"Yes it is," Mary agreed. "Baby is definitely not on the short list."

"Can I help name the sister?" Dean asked drawing little patterns across Mary's shirt. "Maybe a little?"

"We don't really know if it's a sister," Mary replied. "It could be a brother."

"I don't want a brother," Dean said with certainty. "I decided."

"I thought you only wanted a brother," Mary questioned. "I thought girls were gross."

"Brothers will take my toys, but sisters have different toys," Dean explained using the best logic the little four year old could come up with. "And I can make her not mean. You're a girl and you're not mean. Maybe if it was my sister, I would like the tea parties, because um… she wouldn't make me have them with her. She would just have them and I could go to them if I wanted but would not have to. And I don't think sisters have cooties, just like you don't have cooties. I think a sister would be good."

"Okay," Mary nodded. "What do you want to name the baby, Dean?"

"Cordelia," Dean replied. "That's a good name for a sister."

"Where on Earth did you hear that?" Mary laughed.

"I don't know," Dean shrugged. "I think it's a good name. I'll asked the belly what it thinks its name should be and that's what the belly said. The belly wants to be named that."

"Right," Mary smiled. "Have you and the belly talked about what you would name a little brother?"

"No," Dean shook his head. "One second." He leaned in real close to Mary's belly button and whispered into it. He then placed his ear against her stomach then looked up at his mother. "If it's a brother, we decided it should be named it Batman," Dean said seriously.

"Of course," Mary chuckled. "I don't even know why I asked."

"That belly picked it," Dean smiled.

"Of course it did," Mary chuckled.

"You picked my name?" Dean yawned.

"Yeah," Mary answered running her finger through his hair again. "I named you after my mom. I promised her that one day I'd name one of my babies after her, and you came first."

"Her name is Dean?"

"No, it was Deanna," Mary explained. "I shorted it and made it boy name for you."

"And my middle is Michael, like Grandpa Mike!" Dean exclaimed.

"That's right, sweetie," Mary smiled. "Me and Daddy are still trying to find something that's meaningful that we wanna name the new baby."

"You can't name a brother after Daddy's mom," Dean said seriously. "Gertrude is a bad name for a brother. Batman is much better."

"I agree," Mary nodded. "Batman is a much better name for a boy than Gertrude."

"I like helping with the baby," Dean nodded. "We'll be good friends I think."

"I hope so," Mary smiled. "That's what I want."

"You getted a baby so I'll have a friend?" Dean asked.

"No," Mary replied. "But that was part of it. Both Daddy and I don't have brothers or sisters. We decided that we wanted you to have some. Sometimes it can be really lonely growing up all by yourself. I think you'll like it."

"Just one," Dean yawned. "We don't need no more. Just me and Cordelia, that's good enough."

"We'll keep that in mind," Mary replied. "We'll see how it goes after we have this baby. You think you're ready for bed time, Big Guy?"

"Yeah, Momma," Dean nodded. "I think I'm ready for a story and bed time."

"When you're a big brother, are you gonna read to you brother or sister?" Mary asked as she picked the toddler up off the couch.

"I don't know how to read," Dean yawned as they climbed the stairs. "I would if I knowed how to read. But I can tuck them in real good. Like Daddy tucks me in. I would be good at that. Maybe I can maked up a story to tell them."

Mary placed Dean down on his bed and kissed him on the forehead. She grabbed his current favorite book, a Dr. Seuss classic and read until he fell asleep. She tucked his teddy bear under his arm and turned to shut off the light.

"Momma," Dean asked quietly as Mary turned off the light on her way out the door. "How many slugs would I have to eat to become a slug?"

"What?" Mary chuckled turning around.

"You sayed 'If you keep eating chicken nuggets, you'll become a chicken nugget.' So I eated slugs."

"Don't eat slugs, Dean, that's not good for you."

"I want to be a boy sized slug!" Dean protested. "If I'm a boy sized slug I can be the king slug."

"As cool as that sounds," Mary smiled. "Slugs are gross and you shouldn't eat them. They are very dirty."

"One time I eated seven slugs," Dean told her. "But I didn't turn into a slug."

"That's not how it really works, sweetheart," Mary laughed. "Don't eat bugs."

"But you said," Dean said confused.

"It's just an expression," Mary tried to explain. "It doesn't really mean what it says."

"Then why did you say it?" Dean asked.

"I said that to get you to eat other things," Mary replied. "It's better for you to eat lots of different things not just chicken nuggets and, apparently, slugs. Go to sleep, Deano."

"You forgot about the angels," Dean mumbled half asleep.

"What angels?" Mary smiled from the doorway.

"The angels that watch over me," Dean explained. "You forgot to tell me. How are they gonna know if you amind them?"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Mary whispered. "The angels are watching over you."

"Goodnight, momma," Dean yawned. "I love you."

* * *

_AN: For whatever reason I always thought that Dean's middle name was Michael. I was actually confused when I found out that wasn't cannon. Also, I couldn't shake the plot whole from where the man in the Dinner in "In the Beginning" tells John to say hi to the old man, then Henry actually disappears when John was little. So I took creative licence there. I have a whole story for the step dad, parts of it will appear later._

_ If John's mom has an actually name, let me know, I looked but I couldn't find one. I have plans for her later in the story also. _


	3. Chapter 3

The moment the door closed when John got home from work that night, Mary started talking. "We need to figure out how to tell Dean that there is no way on God's green earth we are naming our child Batman."

"Okay..." John chuckled, hanging up his coat and kicking off his shoes. "You really should have seen that one coming to be honesty Mary. I'm almost surprised he hasn't started calling one of us Alfred."

"If we find out it's a boy, and we don't name him Batman," Mary sighed. "I just don't want him to be disappointed. I want him to be excited about the baby. I just feel like if he thinks we're ignoring his request to help name it he'll get really upset."

"I don't know," John smiled walked over to the couch pressing a kiss into his wife's hair. "Bruce Wayne Winchester, that's got quite a ring to it."

"Don't," Mary said rolling her eyes. "I'm being serious here. You don't need to be encouraging him. You'll make the problem worse. He's never going to take anything seriously if you don't take anything seriously. He mimics everything you do. You have to know that."

"I know." John sat down and pulled Mary's feet into his lap. "You know that hippie couple down the street? With that kid named Sunflower or whatever that's Dean's age?"

"Kelly and Patrick? Yeah, we have play dates, and their daughter's name in Alexa Sunbeam. And they aren't hippies. They're just different."

"They drive a Volkswagen and make their own clothes. They're exactly the type of people who would be sticking daisies in the end of rifle," John scoffed.

"I seem to recall a young man fresh from the war who was all for buying a VW Microbus," Mary reminded him.

"That was your idea," John corrected. "And fate intervened."

"You love that car more than me," Mary chuckled.

"Anyway," John coughed changing the subject. "The girl just found out they were pregnant, and they are going to let Sunflower name the kid."

"Where did you hear that?" Mary sighed.

"The guy's piece of shit foreign car needed all sorts of work done on it," John shrugged. "Might as well get to know the neighbors; we started talkin' he mentioned baby number two, I told him about you. He said he was letting Sunflower name the baby."

"John," Mary said seriously. "I love Dean, I do, I love him, with every ounce of my being but he's not naming the baby. I know that it's the eighties and everything's changing, but I'm not introducing Batman Robin Winchester to other parents."

"He's gonna hear from Sunflower that she got to name her baby sibling at school someday and he's going to be very upset."

Mary looked at him as if she was trying to stab him with her eyes.

"Hippie guy said that Sunflower wants to name the baby Aurora," John shrugged.

"Like Sleeping Beauty," Mary chuckled. "That's cute, Alexa and Aurora. I like traditional names better, but those are cute together."

"We don't want to name it something that six other kids in the class are going to be named, right?" John said. "You mentioned that when we were figuring out what to call Dean. Batman might be the way to go with this one. Especially now that we know they'll be a Disney Princess in the group."

"Stop having ideas or I won't let you name the baby either," Mary said seriously.

"Did he pick out a sister name," John chuckled. "Or does he want to name his sister Batman too."

"Cordelia," Mary nodded. "Which is actually kind of nice."

"Where the hell did he…" John shook his head.

"Is it a Princess in a book that you read to him?" Mary asked.

"No," John replied. "I have no idea. Cute though."

"He said the baby told him that's what it wanted to be named," Mary continued. "Pressed his mouth up to my belly button and whispers to it, then puts his ear to it like the baby's talking back. He also said he really wanted a sister. He's being so cute lately. He's gonna be a good big brother, I think. He really wants to help. Kept talking about putting the baby bed together with you soon."

"I'll do it soon," John nodded. "What else you guys do today?"

"I also showed our son that everyone was in a belly once. Blew his little mind. He didn't think Nana had ever been not old. Dean thinks babies look like aliens, but he's very happy that he doesn't look like an alien anymore. He said he's very glad he's cute now. He's got his Daddy's sense of himself that's for sure."

John chuckled. "If people spend your whole life telling you you're cute, you're gonna believe it eventually. With his genetics it's not like he was going to end up getting hit with an ugly stick or nothing."

"You're unbelievable, Narcissus." Mary laughed.

"He looks like you," John smiled. "He looks just like you."

"Nice save," Mary rolled her eyes.

"I think we did good with that one."

"You say that like we're trading him in," Mary replied.

"That's not how it works?" John smirked. Mary smacked him in the chest. "He's a good kid. I think he might be born to be a big brother."

"I told Dean he was named after my mom," Mary continued. "And he told me that we can't name a brother after your mom."

"Batman is a much better name for a brother than Gertrude."

"That is, oddly enough, exactly what Dean said," Mary smiled.

"I thought you'd want to name the baby after your dad?" John asked. "We'd have a Dean and a Sam."

"Sam works for a girl too," Mary said picking at her fingernails. "I don't know though. I mean, I would love to, but…"

"Samuel John," John said massaging her calf. "Or Samantha Jane?"

"I don't like Jane," Mary sighed.

"Samantha Batman?" John suggested.

"Yes!" Mary laughed. "Exactly, perfect name. We'll figure it out. We got a couple of months."

They sat in silence for a while watching the 11 o'clock news.

"Dean saw a picture of your father while we were looking at the photo albums today," Mary said quietly. "So he might bring that up. So just think of a way to explain that to a little kid."

"That should be nice and easy," John sighed.

"Just remind him that you and I aren't going anywhere," Mary suggested. "We will always be there for him. That's all you can do."

"Yeah," John nodded. "If I learned one thing from him, it's not to up and leave without a care. You know, Dean's about how old I was when he disappeared. I don't think I could ever do that. I mean, I know I'm not the best, but I'll be damned if I do to that kid what he did to me. Don't get me wrong, Mike's been great, but he's not my dad. But that little boy upstairs, I don't think I could live with myself know that I let him down."

Mary thought it best to change the subject as she saw that faraway look in her husband's eyes.

"I discovered that your son has a deep desire to become a boy sized slug," Mary chuckled.

"Why is he 'your son' when he does something weird, but 'our son' when he does something cute?" John asked.

"I like taking credit for the cute stuff," Mary explained. "And blaming the weird stuff on you."

"Nice," John smiled as he pressed his head against the back of the sofa. "Yeah, I should have told you about the slug thing. He's been talking about that for a couple of months now. I thought he gave up on it."

"You knew?" Mary said turned to face John completely on the couch.

"Ah… yeah," John nodded. "We were working on the car a while ago. Dean was handing me tools and I turned to ask him for something and he was chasing a slug. Told me if he ate enough of them he'd be their boy king or something else equally as ridiculous. It was weird but he does weird crap like that all the time."

"And you told him to stop eating bugs?" Mary huffed.

"You told me to let him have an imagination," John shrugged. "Wasn't hurting anything. Boys eat bugs all the time. If he practices now, he'll be able to make some good money in middle school eating weird stuff. If he eats enough non edible crap he can play for his own college. Middle school boys will pay him, like, five bucks to slugs someday."

Mary sighed and shook her head.

"Nothing's going to happen to him," John smiled. "It'll build up his immune system. I ate bugs when I was his age, nothing happened to me."

"Little boys are so gross," Mary laughed. "Hopefully we get the little sister Dean wants, then. we'll be a Christmas card perfect family I've always wanted."

"Either way we're a Christmas card perfect family, Mare," John insured her. "Just if we got two boys there is a much better chance that little Sam will covered in something sticky and Dean will be laughing maniacally while Sam cries. Actually... that will probably happen if little Sam's a girl too. Kids are horrible."

Mary rolled her eyes and sighed half heartedly.

John chuckled. He placed his hand lightly on his wife's expanding belly. "If this one is boy too, it's only going to be more disgusting. You think Jamie and Dean can get into things now? Just wait. Two boys sending all day together, someone's going to be sticky almost every day for the rest of their lives. My mom hated it when I'd come home from my aunt's. I was always covered in a fine layer of something gross. Boy will boys I guess. Just the hazards of having children."

Mary shook her head before pressing it against his shoulder. "I want a hundred."

"I'm willing to negotiate for three," John replied. "A hundred seems a little excessive. I would like a little girl though, we'll have to try one more time if we end up with two boys after this."

"A little girl that looks like you?" Mary smiled.

"Just a healthy one," John replied. "You and Dean got something really special. He just loves you."

"He love you, too," Mary said.

"Yeah but you don't see that way he looks at you," John continued. "Like you're the sun and the stars. You're everything to him. I mean it might be a little selfish, but I want someone who looks at me like that. You know all that teaching them to dance while she stands on my feet, kind of like how you pretend to be tied to the kitchen chair while Dean slays the dragon."

"I'm the princess," Mary replied. "But you're his hero,"

"Yeah," John sighed.

"And if this ones a boy," Mary said. "You'll be his hero too."

"Yeah, I guess," John said. "But you know, I'll be happy either way, don't get me wrong, I'd just really like having a daughter."

"You'd be cute wrapped around a little girl's finger," Mary giggled. "Imagine you in a pink feather boa and rhinestone tiara."

"I think I can pull it off," John smiled squeezing Mary's calf.

"Remember how scared we were about Dean?" Mary said softly. "I was so afraid he was going to drown when I gave him a bath or electrocute himself if I we put him too close to the wall or get lead poisoning. I was terrified to put him down for a while."

"There's still a chance he'll get lead poisoning," John joked. "He does eat a lot of weird stuff."

"Don't let him chew on the walls and we should dodge that one," Mary giggled. "I feel like we might have a handle on this. It feels like it's going to be easier. We know what we're doing and we don't have to bubble wrap him to make sure the baby doesn't get hurt."

"Now we let the kid slide down the banister and eat bugs," John laughed. "We even let him walk in the grocery store and we haven't broken him too badly."

"You let him slide down the banister? Seriously? After what happened last time?"

"I picked him up and held on to him," John explained. "I didn't throw him down the stairs. We were just having fun. He's a little kid. Didn't you want to slide down the banister when you were little?"

"Of course," Mary replied. "But my parents would have murdered me."

"Well, isn't that what parenthood is supposed to be?" John asked. "Letting your kids do all the things you didn't get to do that you thought would be cool?"

"We can't just let him do whatever he wants," Mary scowled. "We're not going to be those parents that let their kids do whatever they want. Those people are obnoxious."

"I didn't give him a knife," John defended. "I held onto him and let him slide down the banister once after he asked me every day for two weeks. Want to know what happened after I let him do it? He hasn't asked to do it since. I say if it's not going to hurt anybody, just let him do it. We both know he would have figured out a way to climb up there himself then he would have fallen off and cut his head open again. Get it out of his system, he'll move on. "

"Yeah," Mary sighed. "I guess you got something there."

"So we let him eat bugs and let him slide down the banister," John said. "We let him hit the couch with a sword because he wants it to be a dragon and eat dinner under the kitchen table during Thanksgiving because with the fancy table-cloth it looks like a cave. No matter what kind of faces my mom makes at you."

"When did you get good at this parenting stuff?" Mary smiled.

"I started listening to what the best mom in the world was saying," John answered. "And I started taking notes."

"You're sweet."

"I know," John said. "Hippie girl down the street really knows what she's talking about."

"I hate you," Mary laughed.

"I love you, too," John said kissing the top of her head. "You said we can't expect Dean to act like a little adult because he's just a kid. I didn't really have that. I mean, I had a childhood and everything but I had to grow up quick after my dad left. I felt like I had to take care of my mom. Dean's got the advantage of me on that one. He'll get to be a kid for as long as he wants. He'll never have to worry about anything. We'll both be there for him."

"We're going to be the envy of the neighborhood if you keep dropping parenting wisdom like that down on us," Mary smiled.

"I think I'm going to head up to bed, turn in." John yawned. "I gotta be back at the shop at 7:30."

"You should talk to that boss of yours," Mary said as they both pushed themselves up off the couch. "See if you can stay for breakfast."

"I don't know," John shrugged. "He's kind of a hard ass."

"I'm making waffles," Mary smiled. "Chocolate chip waffles, with the new waffle maker. Dean's been asking for a month for me to use the waffle maker. He likes to pull the handle down."

"So Dean's making waffles?" John chuckled as they started up the stairs. "I think I can swing something with the owner of the place. He does have a soft spot of my wife. I'm gonna say goodnight to the kid then I'll be in."

"Just don't wake him up," Mary warned.

"I won't," John nodded. "I promise."


	4. Chapter 4

Dean started to imagine what it would be like having a little sibling as February turned to March, after John and Mary had told him the baby's name was definitely going to be Sam, but they still didn't know if it was a brother or a sister. Dean figured being a big brother would be a lot like having a sleepover with his best friend like Jamie, the little boy across the street, but they didn't have to go home the next day. The boys got to play in his tree house all day and even planned to sleep out there, but Jamie's mom said no. She did help them set up a fort in the living room and they got to sleep in there. They ate whole bunch of cookies and candy and watched movies and stayed up until ten o'clock. Dean imagined that having two kids in the house all the time would be like that every night. If it was, being a big brother was going to be the best fun ever.

As he and John put together the new crib, well, John put together the crib, Dean held the screws really tight so that they didn't lose any, he remembered when he was little enough to have to sleep in a bed with sides so that he didn't fall off, but there were lots the other things that his parents were putting in the room didn't make much sense to him.

"Daddy," Dean asked as he squeezed the screws very tight in his hand. "How come Baby Sam needs two beds?"

"That one's not a bed," John explained nodding across the room. "It's a changing table. That's where me or mom will put Sam when we have to change it's diaper."

"Where are all the baby's toys?" Dean asked. "Baby Sam doesn't have a toy box."

"Baby toys aren't like your toys, kiddo," John replied. "They can't have little parts and usually light up and stuff like that to keep babies occupied. We probably won't get the new baby a toy box for it's stuff for about a year. Right now all the toys we got for the new baby are in the downstairs closet with you board games."

"I thinked that me and Baby Sam had to share toys," Dean said.

"Not til the baby's a little bit older," John nodded. "Right after it's born it won't really do much of anything. You'll be able to play with it like you play with Jamie and the neighborhood kids when it's bigger; probably not til it's about a year and half old, maybe a little older. Before that babies are really different from little kids like you."

"I don't understand it good," Dean said squishing his face. "I thinked that I get a new friend, that what Momma said. You sayed it's not the same."

"You'll understand when the baby gets here, Deano, okay," John said. "Let me have one of those screws. We'll get this built up real good before you mom gets back from the mall."

Dean let his hand fall open slowly and his dad grabbed two screws. As John turned back to his project, Dean squeezed his hand real tight around them again.

"How come the baby gets a swing in its room?" Dean asked. "I want a swing in my room."

"It's a special thing for babies," John said. "Sometimes babies have to stretch. And since it won't be able to play like you do, it has to stretch out somehow. So Mom will put the baby in there and it's bounce a up and down a little bit until it learns to walk. You can run around outside, so you don't need a swing in your room."

"But I can't go on the swing in the winter," Dean pouted.

"You'll be able to go out there soon," John replied. "I promise. Spring is just around the corner. It's almost warm enough now."

"Then I can jump in mud puddles!" Dean smiled.

"That sounds like an excellent way to annoy your mom," John nodded.

Dean could tell that his dad was starting to get annoyed with his questions. His dad did that sometimes, Dean knew that he loved him. He just had to be careful about asking too many questions.

"Momma tell you we seed picture of you when you was a baby?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, she mentioned it a while back," John said sitting down on the floor between Dean and the now finished crib. "You and her have fun doing that?"

"Yeah," Dean smiled. "Me and Momma always have fun. I like being with her and doing stuff together. I getted to see her momma and daddy. I never seed them before, and momma when she was little, little like me. She was a ballerina. And I seed you when you was a little baby and you had a dress, and Nana when she wasn't old. Momma said that Grandpa Mike wasn't your daddy."

"Yeah," John nodded taking Dean's clinched fist and taking out the two extra screws. "Mike's not my dad, he's my step dad. I met him when I was eleven. He taught me how to work on cars and all the stuff I use for work. He's a real good guy. He's real good to my mom, and that's most important."

"Did you knowed the other guy?" Dean asked sliding across the floor to sit right next to his dad and press his head against his dad's arm.

"I did," John nodded. "One night, he tucked me into bed and left, and he never came home. But you don't ever gotta worry about that."

"I don't?" Dean mumbled into John's shirt.

"No, you never do, you wanna know why?" John asked as he pulled Dean into his lap. "Because there is nothing in the world that will ever keep me from kissing you good night. I might come home from work late but do you know what the first thing I do when I get home is?"

"Take off your coat?" Dean guessed.

"After that?" John chuckled.

"Take off your shoes so you don't get mud on the floor?" Dean said. "Momma gets mad at me all the time because I forget. I make mud everywhere. She tell me that she's gonna make me learn the vacuum so I can fix it. I try to remember but sometimes I get too excited."

John shook his head, trying not to laugh. "What do I do after that?"

"Kiss Momma, and tell her you missed her?" Dean guessed. "You gots to do that, Momma likes it when people tell her that."

"Yeah, she does," John nodded. "But after I do all of that, then I got up stairs and kiss you good night. Even if you've been in bed for a long time. Because you're the most important thing in my life, and there is nothing that will ever be more important than you and that new baby."

"You won't like the new baby more than me, will you?" Dean said looking up at his dad. "I'm the oldest you have to like me the most because you liked for more."

"Of course, Dean," John chuckled. "I promise never to like the new baby more than you. And I promise that no matter what happens. I will never walk away from you. You will always be able to find me. You will never, ever, ever disappear."

"Okay," Dean nodded. "Are we done building baby stuff for today?"

"I think so," John replied.

"Can we build a treehouse?" Dean asked. "A really big one?"

"Maybe over the summer," John replied. "We can't right now."

"It's too cold," Dean nodded. "Can it have a tire swing and rope ladder?"

"I don't see why not," John nodded. "I think that would be a lot of fun for us to do."

"When I grow up I can live in there," Dean explained. "Maybe me and the baby will live there."

"Maybe," John chuckled. "We'll see what your mom says."

"When I'm big will you teach me how to fix the car like Grandpa Mike teached you?" Dean asked.

"I think we can do that," John agreed. "I would like it if you liked to work on cars too."

"I like your car," Dean smiled. "It's big and nice and I like to help you fix, and then one day I can fix for you. And I work at your work."

"I would really like that," John replied. "I don't think anything would make me happier."

"Momma is teaching me stuff that Grandma Dean teached her," Dean continued.

"Her name wasn't, Dean kiddo," John chuckled.

"Yes it was," Dean corrected. "Momma teached me how to cook things and I get to crack the eggs. That's my favorite part. Maybe when we build the treehouse I can use the real hammer."

"Maybe," John nodded. "Your mom might kill me, but maybe we can let you hammer a real nail."

"I did really good building the baby stuff."

"Yes you did," John smiled. "You've been a big help."

Downstairs they head the front door close. Dean looked up at John wide eyed. "Momma's home."

Dean pushed himself up and ran down the stairs. John shook his head as he stood and followed his son. Dean was already hugging Mary as she stood in the doorway when John got to the bottom of the stairs.

"You changed your hair," John commented.

"Yeah," Mary smiled. "Not much really, just wanted something different."

"I think it's beautiful," Dean told her as he let go and looked up at her.

"Do you finish the crib?" Mary asked rubbing her belly.

"Yeah," John nodded. "We got it all set up in there. Looks good."

"Me and Daddy are gonna build a treehouse when it's gets warm," Dean interjected. "When I grow up I'm gonna live there, like, when I ten."

"When you're a grown up, like ten," Mary smiled.

"Yeah that's when you're a grown up," Dean nodded.

"How old is Mom then?" Mary chuckled, eyes flicking between her son and her husband, a smile across her face.

"Ummm, fifteen," Dean said.

"How old is Nana?" John asked.

"A hundred," Dean answered turning around to look at his dad.

"Makes sense," John nodded.

"You're too cute, kiddo," Mary laughed.

"I know," Dean nodded. "Everyone tells me."

"Alright, Momma's gotta sit down," Mary said as she tried to get around Dean and into the house. "Baby's moving too much."

"Baby Sam moves in there?" Dean asked wide eyed.

"Yeah," Mary chuckled falling back onto the sofa. "Right now it's kicking up a storm."

"The baby kicks you?" Dean said shaking his head. "That's very mean. I didn't kick you when I was in there did I?"

"Yes, you did. All the time," Mary nodded. "Come here."

Dean took several tentative steps toward his mother on the sofa, who then grabbed his hand and pressed it to her abdomen.

"Do you feel that?" Mary asked. Dean looked up at her and nodded. "That's the baby moving around. There's not a lot of room in there. So when the baby moves it kicks. That's just how it is."

"That's Sammy's foot?" Dean said softly, amazed. "Maybe the baby is moving so much because it's upside down."

"Maybe," Mary smiled, running her fingers through the boy's hair.

"Do you think Baby Sam will stop moving so much if I read it a story?" Dean said excitedly. "I can read it a story and it will take a nap!"

"You're gonna read the baby a story?" Mary smiled. "I thought you said you didn't know how to read."

"I know how to read Goodnight Moon!" Dean declared. "I'll read Baby Sam Goodnight Moon!"

Dean spun on his heels and run back upstairs to find the book on his bookshelf. When he got back downstairs, his mom was sitting sideways on the sofa with her legs across. She instructed Dean to climb over her legs. He sat with is legs across his mother's as close to her belly as possible so the baby could hear. He propped the book against Mary's stomach and began to "read."

Mary looked up at John who was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room. She pantomimed camera until John got the hint and grabbed the disposable one that Mary kept in the kitchen.

"What's this word?" Dean asked pointing at the book.

"Telephone," Mary smiled.

"Okay," Dean nodded and kept going, reading a page and then turning the book to show Mary's belly the picture. Most of the words were the ones actually in the book that Mary had read to him so many times that she wasn't surprised that the boy had memorized it.

"What's this one?" He pointed again.

"Whispering," Mary smiled.

"That's a big word," Dean sighed.

"Yes it is," Mary agreed. "Are you going to read to the baby bedtimes stories when it's born?"

"Just this one," Dean said. "Now shush I'm not done."

He kept sort of reading and showing Mary's belly the pictures as Mary did her best to not cry.

"And goodnight noises everywhere," Dean finished. He closed the book and looked up at Mary smiling. "Don't cry! They're just going to sleep they'll be back. You don't have to be sad. It's a happy book."

"I know," Mary smiled. "Why don't you go get Daddy and see if we have any pudding? You look hungry."

"Okay," Dean nodded. He slid off the couch and ran off to the other room. Mary rubbed her swollen belly, the reading hadn't stopped the baby from moving around at all, but she knew if Dean asked she'd say it did.

"No!" Dean yelled from the kitchen. "No, I'll do. I can do it. I'm a big boy I can do it myself."

"Right," John sighed. Mary heard his heavy footsteps toward the living room. "Cover yourself in pudding. Whatever makes you happy. Are you alright, Mary?"

"He's all grown up," Mary sniffed. "He's reading."

"He memorized it," John smiled. "We've both read it to him a million times. And half of what he said weren't even the words."

"Yeah but he's almost reading," Mary smirked, wiping her face. "He's so grown up all of a sudden."

"I'm gonna give him about six seconds before he yells that he can't open his pudding cup," John chuckled. "He's not all grown up. He's four. If you cry every time he pretends he's a grown up you'll never stop crying."

"I know, it's just, you know," she pointed to her stomach.

"Momma, you open this!" Dean said running into the room with is pudding. "I thinked I can do it, but I can't."

"Ask Daddy," Mary smiled. "I don't want you carrying an open pudding across the living room carpet."

Dean nodded and pass the cup to John who pulled the cover off and handed it back down to him. "You're still a big boy if you ask for help," John explained. "You don't gotta go everything yourself."

"Yes I do," Dean yelled. "I don't want you to do everything for me. Only babies do that. I'm a big boy. I'm not a baby." Dean stomped his feet and grabbed his pudding cup before disappearing back into the kitchen.

"Just when I think he's growing up," Mary chuckled. "He throws a tantrum about nothing."

John shrugged. "He's four. He's got six more years until he thinks he has to move out."

Mary smiled and laughed. "Ow. This is so uncomfortable. I wish I could just turn the baby into position so it stopped punching my kidneys. Can you occupy Dean for a couple hours while I take a nap?"

"I've been with him all day," John replied. "You went out with your girl friends."

"Uh huh," Mary nodded. "And I've been chasing him all day everyday while you're out at work, so you can handle watching him for one day. I'm tired. Just sit at the table and color or read to him. Take him outside for a little bit. Go upstairs and play whatever weird game he wants to play. Just keep him quiet for a little bit. I really don't want to climb up the stairs. My back hurts and I'm tired."

"You've been walking around the mall all day," John sighed. "I've been babysitting."

"First of all," Mary argued. "You can't babysit your own kid. Secondly, you do what I do all day everyday for an hour and half. You don't even have to do anything, just make sure he doesn't kill himself while I take a nap."

"That's…"

"If you say 'Not fair,' John, you should know that I know how to kill people and not leave any evidence behind," Mary said. "You helped make him, you can occupy for an afternoon without my direction."

"You weren't like this when you pregnant with Dean," John mumbled as he turned toward the kitchen.

"We didn't have a toddler when I was pregnant with Dean," Mary yelled after him. "Nut up Winchester. It's only getting harder from here."

"Momma's gonna put you in time out if you keep making her mad like that," Dean commented, face covered in chocolate pudding. "You knowed her more than me, you should know better."

John grabbed a dish towel off the counter and wiped Dean's face. "I know kiddo, I'm gonna teach you how to use a spoon here real soon."

"I know how to use a spoon," Dean replied pushing his eyebrows together. "Don't make Momma mad. She tells you she's disappointed in you. Then you know you're in big trouble."

"What do you want to do this afternoon Dean?" John asked, chuckling.

"Is there anymore baby stuff to do?" Dean asked.

"I don't think so," John shook his head. "We built everything that needs to be built. Just gotta put the baby in it."

"Then what can we do?" Dean asked throwing his arms up in the air.

"What if we went outside for a bit?" John asked. "We can put you in your snow suit and we can go out there. It might be warm enough to swing."

"I really like swinging," Dean nodded. "And it'll be quiet, so Momma can take a nap. Baby Sam makes her really tired. Sometimes we have nap time together. But not today because I already taked a nap. I can't take two naps."

"No, you can't," John smiled.

"I'll go get my snowsuit," Dean nodding sliding off his chair. "I'll go on my tipey toes so I don't wake up Momma."

"Right," John nodded. I'll meet you over here, then we'll go play in the back yard."

"I'm glad I get to play with you today," Dean smiled grabbing his dad's legs and hugging him as tight as he could. "I get to have you all to myself. That's my favorite."

"It's my favorite too kiddo," John smiled. "Go get your suit, we'll go swinging."

* * *

That night long after Dean has his bath and was soundly sleeping in his bed, John joined his wife in their room.

"Was it really that horrible spending the day with Dean?" Mary asked.

"No," John mumbled, climbing into bed. "It's not. I just thought we were doing things together as a family. I thought that was the plan for this weekend since we don't got that many weekends when it's just the three of us, and I'm working seven days until the baby's born starting Monday so I can take three weeks off and not have to worry about it."

Mary pushed herself up to a sitting position and stared down her husband. "Yeah, that was the plan, but plans change. You change up things all the time staying late at work when you say you'll be home for dinner."

"I'm the provider," John shot back. "We've had this fight a hundred times. You decided to be a stay at home mom. I'm not holding you hostage. But if you're here, I have to be there. I'm paying the bills. That's how it works. You knew that when we decided how we wanted to raise a family."

"I understand that you're the one bringing home the paycheck. Your job's important, it's important to the family, to you, to our future. You saying things like that makes me feel like I don't do anything. I have full time job, six full time jobs, if you really want to talk about it. I'm a housekeeper and nanny and short order cook. Only at my job, the pay sucks, the boss is a pain in the ass eighty percent of the time and I don't get sick days. I asked you to do what I do for two hours because I'm tired from carrying another person inside me all day and you threw a tantrum."

"I did not throw a tantrum, Mary."

"When your four year old tells you not to talk like that because you'll get a timeout, that's a temper tantrum," Mary replied. "I know what they look like. Dean has about eighty a day. Look, I could have stayed working. I didn't have to quit my job, I liked being a secretary. I liked being involved in the garage. It was a fun family operation. I could have gone back and sent Dean to day care like, literally, every other mom in this neighborhood does, but I didn't. I stayed home. I want to be a mom like my mom was. And you can't use that against me. You can't says things like 'you got to leave the house and left me alone with this tiny person that thinks I'm a God and wants to spend the day with me.' He begs to spend time with you, and when you're around I have to tell you to do stuff with him."

"You don't..." John answered not sure where he wanted the rest of the sentence to go.

"Name one thing you've done with Dean that I didn't tell you to do," Mary said. "Teaching him to throw snowballs doesn't count because I told you to take him outside."

"Mary," John shook his head.

"What?" Mary sighed. "He'll ask you to play with him and you tell him later. It's not fair to him. What are you going to when we got two of them? You say if it's a little girl you'll be that sitcom dad; the dad that you never had. Be that dad to the son you got."

"I'm trying," John replied. "Every time we have that this conversation, you make it sound like I hate him. I love being around him. I like the stories he tells that don't make any sense, and how he sees things. I like being around the kid. I love being around the kid. You can't even imagine what it feels like to have him look up at me with that smile and say he loves me. I liked pushing him on the swing and watching him jump in the mud puddles today. I'm trying Mary. I really am. I know I'm not the best dad. But I try, which is way more than I got as a kid. I know your dad was some kind of superhero and I'm sorry I can't measure up to that, but I'm doing everything I know how to do. I'm miles ahead of what my dad did. I know that's a low bar, but I trying."

"Just be nice to him without me asking you to," Mary huffed.

"I'm not mean to him" John replied.

"You push him away," Mary said softly. "Let him sit in your lap when you watch tv. Just let him do his thing. He's needy, yeah, but he's only gonna be little for a few more years. Just let him do his thing."

"Right," John nodded. "I can try harder."

"I want you to at least give the illusion of trying," Mary pouted. "That's all I need. I want Dean to run up to me and tell me all the things the two of you did. Like he does when you get home. Know what would really fun for him to do? We can draw a map and make little puzzles for him to figure out and hide a prize. It'll keep him occupied of hours if you do it right."

"I can do that," John nodded. "I'll take him with me to grab stuff for the shop tomorrow. You can hide stuff? I'll find something he'll like as a prize."

"You gotta do some drawing," Mary replied. "I'm not doing all the work."

"Right," John nodded. "Fair I think."

"Good," Mary smiled. "It's settled then. Tomorrow is adventure day. He'll be a pirate. He'll want to wear his eye patch to the store if we tell him he's hunting treasure. He may make you wear one too."

"I will do my best not to be incredibly embarrassed," John nodded.

"What they never tell you about parenting," Mary smirked sliding back down so she was laying down again. "Is that most of it is not caring what you look like in public anymore. And realizing no one else really cares. You don't got to be manly man marine all the time. You can be the sweet guy I married. Be that guy I saw kill a dragon in the living room that time."

"I'll try harder," John promised. "I'll make you proud."

* * *

_AN: Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting this story. I appreciate all the support. Up next: Sam makes his first appearance. I'm nervous about but I think you'll enjoy it. Thank you for reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

On the first of May, Mary and Dean were sitting at the kitchen table with a big piece of paper in front of the boy and flashcards with the letters of the alphabet printed on them.

"If you put these letters together," Mary explained. "That spells your name."

"D-E-A-N," Dean nodded then took a blue crayon and wrote then down on the paper. "I wanna learn the baby's name so I can draw a picture and write 'to Sam' on it."

"Alright," Mary smiled. "Look for S-A-M in the pile. Then you can write them down."

"I like learning," Dean said as he sat up on his knees to go through the cards.

Mary let out a very labored breath and started to rub her belly. It wasn't the first time today, and Dean was starting to think there was something wrong with is mom.

"Momma," Dean asked. "Are you okay? You look sick."

"I'm fine baby," Mary nodded. "Keep going, okay? You're doing a really good job learning to spell. You'll be the smartest kid your class if you keep this up."

Dean went back to lining up letters to spell simple words until Mary moaned and started to squirm in her chair.

"Momma," Dean said softly. "If Baby Sam hurting you again?"

"No, sweetie," Mary said breathing slowly. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," Dean argued. "You look like when I hurt my elbow when I fell off the swing and it really hurt really a lot but I didn't want to be a baby and cry so I didn't cry, but it was bleeding really bad."

"Can you do me a favor buddy?" Mary whispered. "Do you know how to use the phone?"

Dean shook his head. "No."

"Alright, go get your step stool and push it over to the phone," Mary instructed. Dean jumped off the chair and bounced across the room on the balls of his feet."I need you to press the star button and the three. Can you do that?"

"Yep," Dean nodded pressing the buttons of the phone.

"Hold it to your ear, a lady named Angela should answer," Mary continued. "Tell her your name and that you have to talk to John."

Dean nodded as the phone rang in his ear. After a couple rings a lady with a sweet voice answered. "G and W Garage, this in Angela."

"Hello," Dean said loudly. "This is Dean Winchester. I have to talk to John, please."

"John the owner?" Angela asked.

"She wants to know if it's John the owner," Dean said to his mom across the room.

"Yes," Mary sighed, then mumbled. "Idiot."

"My momma says yes, John the owner," Dean repeated, yelling into the receiver.

"Alright that's gonna a minute," Angela said.

"Okay," Dean answered.

There was rustling through the line and some hushed voices. "It sounds like a kid playing with the phone."

"A kid named Dean," a voice that sounded a lot like his dad's sighed. "My kid's name is Dean. My wife is nine months pregnant Angie, you think it might be fricking important."

"Sorry, seemed like a prank call!"

"Give me the damn phone," the man growled. "This is John."

"John is on the phone," Dean relayed to his mom.

"Tell him to come home," Mary said shaking her head. "Tell him Mom says to come home."

"My Momma says that you have go home," Dean repeated.

"Okay, Dean," John replied. "I want you to get a cup and get some water out of the fridge like I showed you and give it to your mom. I'll be home in ten minutes."

"Alright," Dean said. "I can do that." The line went dead and Dean looked over to his mom. "I think he hanged up."

"He's on his way?" Mary asked.

"Ten minutes," Dean nodded as he pushed his footstool over to cabinet to get a plastic cup. He placed the cup on this foot stool and pressed it over to the fridge, climbed up and filled the cup with water, then brought it to his mom.

"Thank you," Mary smiled. "That's was very nice. Can you do me another favor?"

Dean nodded.

"Upstairs in Mom and Dad's room, on the footstool, there is a big black bag," Mary explained. "It's kind of heavy, but I need you bring it down stairs. Just drag it. Use your superhero strength okay?"

"Okay!" Dean turned on his heel and ran up the stairs. He grabbed the strap in the big duffle bag and pulled with all his might. It fell down to the floor with a thud. Dean step inside the shoulder strap and pulled it behind him. The stairs, however, were going to be an interesting obstacle.

"I don't know how to do the stairs!" Dean yelled.

"Push the bag down and follow it!" Mary called back.

"You told me never to throw things down the stairs!" Dean answered.

"It's okay just this one time," Mary couldn't help but chuckle.

"Okay!" Dean said.

He stepped out of the band, walked around the bag and pushed it down the stairs. It tumbled loudly as the front door opened.

"What are you doing?" John sighed.

"I told him to," Mary replied quickly. "Trying to save time."

"I used the phone Daddy!" Dean yelled running down the stairs.

"I know buddy," John laughed. "Who do you think you called?"

"I don't know," Dean shrugged.

"Never grow up, kiddo," John laughed before turning to his wife. "How far apart are they?"

"Started this morning," Mary confessed. "I thought it would be fine til you got home from work but we gotta go. There like ten, fifteen minutes apart."

"Deano," John said looking over to the boy. "I need you to put your shoes on, then go outside and get in the car, can you do that?"

"Seat buckle myself in?" Dean asked.

"Please?" John asked.

Dean nodded. He sat on the floor next to the closet and pulled on his new Spiderman velcro shoes and skipped outside. He had recently learned how to open the car door and was pretty proud of himself about that. He pulled himself up into the car and climbed into his booster seat. Baby Sam's new car seat next to him. He waited patiently for his parents to come out, kicking his feet back and forth.

After what seemed like forever, his dad helped his mom in the passenger's seat, then leaned in to the back to check Dean's seat belt and toss the big black duffle bag in.

"You ready to be a big brother Dean?" John asked.

"Right now!" Dean gasped.

"Real soon, buddy," John said, before kissing Dean in the top of the head and closing the door and heading around to the front.

"When we get to the hospital," Mary said softly. "You're in charge of that black bag, okay?"

"Yep," Dean nodded. "Is Baby Sam in the bag?"

"No," Mary chuckled. "Sam still in Mom. We're going to the doctor to get the baby out."

"You gotta get him amoved?" Dean asked.

"Yes," Mary smiled turning a little. "Nana and Grandpa Mike are going to meet us there. And hopefully not too long from now you'll be a big brother."

"I'm excited," Dean said. "I can't wait to see a baby in person not a picture. Will the baby amember me from talking to it through your belly? I hope it does."

"Maybe sweetheart," Mary replied. "We'll find out real soon."

"I can't wait!" Dean giggled. "This is going to be the best. I'm gonna be the bestest big brother. I'll maybe share my chicken nuggets."

"Wow, Dean," John laughed as they pulled into the hospital. "That's a pretty big commitment."

"I said maybe," Dean said. "It has to be a really good baby to get my chicken nuggets."

"Alright," John smiled pulling into a space by the emergency room. "You hold up for just a second. I'll be right back."

"You're not going to fireman carry me in this time?" Mary called as John got out of the car. "I was looking forward to it."

"Sorry, Mare," John shrugged.

Mary let out a deep sigh and swore under her breath.

"Are you mad?" Dean asked softly.

"No, it's just hurts," Mary said breathing slowly. "It'll be okay."

"I'm sorry the baby hurts you," Dean replied. "I'll have a good talk with Baby Sam when I meet them. I will tell Sam it's not okay to hurt Momma."

"Thank you, Dean," Mary smiled. "That's very sweet."

John pulled up beside the car with a wheelchair and red headed nurse. He helped Mary out of the car, then turned to get Dean out.

"This is exciting Daddy," Dean squealed.

"Yes it is," John smiled. "Nana and Grandpa are gonna be here real soon. They're gonna watch you for a little bit. Does that sound like fun?"

"I want to see Baby Sam!" Dean whined.

"You will big guy," John explained as he carried Dean while the nurse pushed Mary in a wheelchair. "You just can't be in the room when he's born. I think Nana's gonna take you to McDonald's for dinner and you can play, and when you get back, hopefully, you'll be a big brother."

"I want to be there," Dean pouted.

"It's not for kids, Dean," Mary answered, groaning. "It's just for moms and dads. You'll get to see him not too long after the baby's born. I promise. Going to McDonald's with Nana will be a lot for fun."

"Cross your heart?" Dean asked.

"Yes," Mary smiled. "Cross my heart."

* * *

John sat with Dean in the waiting room after Mary had been check in and ushered up to a birthing suite until his mother arrived.

Dean giggled and bounced around the room entertaining family members waiting for news about their loved one. He did the little teapot dance and sang the alphabet song while the strangers laughed and clapped, until that familiar older woman entered the room.

"Nana!" Dean ran over with is arms in the air.

She lifted the boy in the air as she walked over the her son. "Sorry, we took so long," she smiled kissing John on the check. "We weren't expecting a call until tomorrow."

"It's okay, we're not in push mode yet," John nodded. "If you got him, I'll go check up on her."

"I'm hungry," Dean interjected. "Daddy said you're gonna to McDonald's. I want chicken nuggets."

"Alright," Nana laughed. "You go. We'll feed him, run him, then bring him back."

"Yeah," John nodded.

"Go be with your girl," Grandpa Mike said gripping John's shoulder. "We'll take care of the rugrat."

"I'm not a rat," Dean protested. "I'm a boy."

"Right," Grandpa Mike chuckled. "We'll be back in a couple hours.

"Congratulations, Angel," Nana smiled. "We'll see you soon."

"Thanks, Ma," John smiled. "You gotta car seat for him?"

"I got it under control, John," Nana smiled. "I've done this before you know."

"Yeah, right," John nodded. "I'll see you in a bit."

Dean had never seen that look on his dad's face before. It was soft and kind, almost like he was about to cry.

"You behave, Dean," John said bopping Dean on the nose. "I'll see you in a little bit."

"Okay," Dean smiled. "I'll see you when I'm a big brother."

Nana placed Dean back on the ground and took his hand as John turned and headed through the double doors where Dean knew his mom was.

Nana and Grandpa Mike drove Dean down the road to McDonald's. Dean didn't get to have fast food very often. His mom was very good at making sure Dean had home cooked meals. So this was a big treat for the boy.

"This is best Nana," Dean said as they waited in line.

"You know what you want to eat?" Grandpa Mike asked.

"Chicken nuggets," Dean nodded. "I love chicken nuggets."

"You want milk or some juice?" Nana asked.

"I can I have a milkshake?" Dean asked softly.

"Would Mom let you have a milkshake with dinner?" Nana asked.

"No, never," Dean said shaking his head.

"Alright then," Nana said. "We'll get you a little chocolate shake."

"Chocolate," Dean laughed. "I wished I got to be a big brother everyday."

"This is a special day," Nana said running her fingers through his hair. "If you got chocolate shakes everyday it would be a special treat."

"I guess so," Dean conceded.

"How about you and Grandpa go get a seat," Nana said. "I'll be over with the food in a little bit."

"I wanna sit by the play thing!" Dean yelled.

"Alright," Grandpa Mike smiled. "Just quieter, alright."

Dean nodded excitedly as he took his grandpa's hand as was lead to the table right next to the entrance to the play area.

"This is the best ever Grandpa," Dean smiled as he climbed into the booth right next to the door of the play area.

"You really think so?"

"Mmhmm," Dean nodded. "I never get to go here. Jamie talks about the play place all the time, but I never getted to go. And I get to have ice cream during dinner, and I get chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets are my favorite and I get to go on a slide and I get a brother or a sister. This is the best day of my life."

"I'm glad to hear that," Grandpa Mike answered. "You're real excited about the baby, huh?"

"The most excited," Dean explained. "I never meeted a baby before. And this baby will be mine to teach stuff. That's what Daddy says. It'll be my job to teach Baby Sam all about being a little kid. I think I'll be good at it."

"You are the best little kid that I know," Grandpa agreed.

Nana came to the table with the tray of food and placed Dean's meal in front him. Smiling, he dug in happily, doing his best to remember not to talk while he was eating.

* * *

The play place was the like something out of a dream. Dean had never seen anything like it. There was a ball pit, and the highest slide he'd ever seen; there were tunnels and rope ladders and all sorts of fun exciting things to play on. He could spend the rest of his life in there and never get tired.

"When do we gotta go back to the doctor?" Dean asked as he ran up to his grandparents after he'd been in the play area for about an hour.

"You play until you don't want to play any more," Nana said. "Then we'll go back. You just have as much fun as you can."

"Okay," Dean nodded. "It could be a while. There's a lot of fun things in there. They got a ball pit!"

"You just have fun sweetie pie," Nana smiled.

So Dean ran back inside, climbing and sliding and jumping in the ball pit until he thought he'd fall asleep right there plastic balls. Dean met a little boy in there about his age and threw balls at each other and chased eat other around the jungle gym until his mom said it was time to go home. He had the time of his life in there just running around and jumping on things. He couldn't wait to tell his mom all about it. He knew she'd think it was pretty cool too.

"I think I'm tired," Dean yawned as he dragged himself back over to his Nana and Grandpa Mike. "I'm ready to go to sleep."

"Alright then," Nana nodded. "Let's go see what's going on at the hospital."

Dean fell asleep in his car seat before they'd pulled out of the McDonald's parking lot.

* * *

"Hey, Dean," a voice whispered in his ear softly, pulling him from a wonderful dream.

"I'm sleeping," Dean mumbled.

"Dean, buddy, can you wake up for a minute," the voice said. "I want you to meet somebody."

"Nooooooo," Dean whined sleepily. "I'm sleeping."

"You don't want to meet your brother?"

Dean lifted his head off his father's shoulder and blinked slowly. "I have a brother?"

"Mmmhmm," John smiled. "You got a little brother named Sam, and he wants to meet you."

"He remembers me?" Dean asked softly.

"Why don't you ask him?" John said walking across the room.

Dean saw his mom, looking red eyed and tired holding a tiny bundle in her arms.

"Is that him?"' Dean asked, yawning.

"Yeah," John replied.

"Put him right here," Mary instructed patting the bed next to her. There was a tiny amount of room, perfect for Dean to fit in.

"He's really little," Dean observed.

"Yeah he is," Mary smiled. "What you think?"

"Can I touch him?" Dean asked.

"You gotta be really careful," Mary said.

Dean reached out his hand and poked Sam's cheek. "He's very soft, little tiny fingernails."

"Do you like him?" John asked.

"I think so," Dean nodded.

"Wanna hold him?" Mary asked.

Dean nodded enthusiastically. "I can?"

"Everybody else had a turn while you were asleep," Mary said. "It's only fair that the big brother gets to hold him."

"How old is he?" Dean asked as Mary passed Sam over to Dean.

"Hold his head very carefully," Mary instructed. "He's very fragile. He's only two hours old."

"That's really little," Dean said softly. He held on to Sam like his mom said and stared down at him. There was something in Dean that made him feel like he had to hold on and never let go. Dad had told him that he was going to have to protect Sam when he was born, but he didn't really understand what he meant until right then, holding Sam for the first time.

"Hello Sam," Dean whispered. "It's your big brother. You remember me? I talked to you when you were in the belly. I readed you stories. We're gonna play lots of games when you get bigger. It'll be fun."

"What do you think Dean?" John asked. "Can we keep him?"

"He smiled at me," Dean gasped, looking between his parents. "He likes me!"

Mary took the infant back before Dean got excited. She knew exactly how Dean got when he too excited. He could flail and bounce and that was never a good thing when it came to a tiny baby.

"He remembers me!" Dean said. "He remembers me reading to him when he was in your belly!"

"I guess so," Mary chuckled.

"I like him," Dean smiled. "When can he go home?"

"Not for a couple days," Mary explained. "But you, little buddy, are going to go home with Nana, and sleep in you bed and come back in the morning."

"I'm too excited to sleep."

"It's three a.m." Mary said, running her fingers through his hair. "You're gonna go home and go to sleep for a little bit. If I had it my way Daddy wouldn't have even woken you up."

"I am happy he did," Dean yawned. "I couldn't wait to met my brother til the morning. Then he'd be a lot older."

"He'd be six hours old," Mary smiled. "Baby's change fast, but not that fast."

"That's a long time, Momma," Dean nodded. "He might have teeth and eyes by then."

"He has eyes," Mary laughed. "He's just sleeping. But Momma is really tired, she needs to go to sleep. So you need to go with Nana, and she's gonna bring you home and you're gonna sleep in your bed. Then you can come back in the morning and we can all hang out with baby some more."

"I guess that's okay," Dean nodded. "I am kinda tired." He put his arms up so his dad could pick him up. "I really like the baby. He's smells funny, but I think I can get used to it. He seems like a good brother."

"I'm glad you think so," Mary smiled. "I'll see you in the morning. Then you can tell me all about how much fun you had with Nana and Grandpa at the play place."

"I had ice cream for dinner!" Dean giggled.

"Tell me in the morning," Mary said. "Daddy and Nana are going to take you home. Be a good boy."

Dean was never really sure how he felt about this baby situation. He thought it would be weird having another kid around all the time, but holding Sam for the short time he got to today was the most special thing he'd ever felt in his life. He knew that being a big brother was going to be hard, but he knew that he had to be the best brother ever for Sam.


	6. Chapter 6

When Sam was six days old, Mary awoke to the tiny face of impatient four year old sitting cross legged on her bed staring at her.

"Good morning, Dean."

"Hi!"' Dean smiled. "Are you awake now?"

"Mmhmm," Mary said stretching. "I am."

"Daddy said not to wake you up," Dean said bouncing up onto his knees. "So I just watched you until you waked up."

"Oh," Mary replied. "Alright."

"You should go downstairs," Dean said. "Daddy's trying to make breakfast and I think he's gonna burn the house down."

"Right,"' Mary sat up and pulled the covers off. "Let's go get Sammy and head downstairs."

"Sam's in the baby jail downstairs," Dean said scurrying around the bed to meet his mom and take her hand. "Daddy bringed him downstairs cuz he was crying."

"He's in the playpen?" Mary smiled. "It's not baby jail."

"That's what Daddy calls it," Dean continued. "Already today he woked up and squirmed a little bit, and then he cried, and then he had a bottle, and then he went back to sleep."

"He doesn't really do very much does he?" Mary laughed as Dean lead her down the hall to the stairs.

"No," Dean shook his head. "You should carry me."

"No," Mary yawned. "You're a big boy, you can walk down the stairs."

"You carry Sam," Dean pouted.

"Sam can't walk," Mary explained. "You can, kiddo."

Dean pouted and crossed his arms across his chest and stormed down the stairs. Mary couldn't help but laugh at her older boy. He was doing really well at understanding that Sam needed her too, but sometimes he just wanted to be babied. It was cute, but Mary knew if she gave in too often he'd never stop.

"I told him not to wake you up," John said shaking his head as Mary walked up behind him and pressed a kiss into his cheek.

"He didn't," Mary whispered. "He just sat on the bed and stared at me until I woke up."

"That's..." John laughed.

"Super creepy," Mary smiled. "Nothing like waking up to a face right in your face. I heard you that you were burning the house down."

"I'm making french toast," John defended. "I got blueberries and whipped cream and everything. There's sausage and bacon on the counter."

"What did I do to get all this?" Mary asked.

"You gave me two beautiful little boys," John answered.

"It's Mother's Day," Mary chuckled. "Oh yeah."

"You forgot about Mother's Day?" John laughed placing some of the french toast on a plate.

"I have a six day old," Mary confessed. "I'm lucky I remember to change my clothes everyday."

"I'd remind you," John smiled. "You'd start to smell weird after a couple days."

"I maked you this!" Dean yelled running up to Mary with a piece of paper and small box.

"Okay, let's go to the table, so Daddy can finish making breakfast."

Mary and Dean sat down at the kitchen table, Dean climbed into her lap.

"I maked this for you for Mother's Day," Dean said holding up the picture. "I writed everything. Daddy helped me."

"Let's see what it says," Mary said placing her chin on Dean's head and looking at the drawing. It was two stick people, both with yellow hair holding hands.

"It's me and you," Dean explained. "And I writed Happy Mother's day. Love Dean."

"This is very nice," Mary smiled. "I'm gonna hang it on the fridge and show all my friends when they come over. You're a very talented little artist. You're getting really good at writing your letters. What's in the box?"

"I maked this too," Dean explained as Mary opened the little box.

"A macaroni necklace!" Mary laughed. "And a matching bracelet."

"You like it?" Dean asked. "I worked really hard."

"I love it," Mary said kissing the top of Dean's head. "It's my favorite piece of jewelry I have. Thank you so much."

"Breakfast time," John announced placing two plates down on table. "You need to sit in your own seat now, Deano."

"Okay," he nodded sliding down off his mom's lap. "Do I have to eat the blueberries?"

"Yes," John answered. "They're good for you."

"What if I don't like them?" Dean asked.

"Eat them anyway," John smirked. "They're covered in syrup. You'll be fine.

"Okay," Dean shrugged. "I getted you another thing."

"Really?" Mary said. "You already got me the perfect gift."

"I know," Dean said shoving food into his mouth. "But Grandpa Mike gave me five dollars for being a big brother. So I go-ed to the store and I looked at stuff, and I buyed you a coloring book."

"That was for mom?" John asked.

"Yeah," Dean nodded. "It's a Princess one. So we color durning Dean and Momma time, you can color if your special book."

"You spent your money on me?" Mary asked. "You didn't have to do that."

"Yeah I do," Dean answered. "Cuz you're the most important."

"That's so sweet," Mary smiled, playing with Dean's hair.

"Finish your breakfast and we'll get ready for the day," John said. "Lots to do today."

"What are we gonna do?" Dean asked drawing circles in the syrup on his plate.

"Don't play with your food," John sighed. "We're going to do whatever your mom wants to do."

"Play on the swings?" Dean asked looking over at her with wide eyes. "Go to the park?"

"We'll see," Mary smiled.

"We can put Sammy in the baby swing at the park and he can swing and it will be a fun time."

"He's too little for that still," Mary said. "But I think we can go to the park."

"Yes!" Dean cheered.

"Dean," John sighed. "Can you use your fork to eat like a normal person, please?"

"It's easier this way," Dean explained ripping apart his piece of french toast with his fingers.

"But it's nicer if you use the fork, sweetheart," Mary replied. "That's how big boys do it. If you act like a big boy maybe we'll go to the park like you want."

Dean huffed and picked up his fork.

"Thank you," Mary smiled.

"How do you do that?" John chuckled. "Everytime."

"He likes me more," Mary shrugged. "You just gotta be nice. If you scold him, he doesn't listen."

"I always listen," Dean defended. "I'm a good listener."

"Most of the time," Mary nodded. "You're a very good boy, Dean."

Dean smiled and sat up a little higher as he stabbed at his breakfast, clearly proud of himself.

"You gotta have the special touch when it comes to the kids," Mary smirked. "I've been told I'm a natural."

"You're something," John smiled, looking at her like she held all the secrets of the world. "That's for sure."

* * *

After John had successfully removed the syrup from all over his older son and Dean had gotten himself dressed in his new "I'm a big brother" t-shirt that Mary had found too adorable not to buy on her last trip to K-Mart, the family got ready to head off toward the park.

"Are we driving?" John asked as Mary grabbed the diaper bag and Sammy.

"It's a block and half away," Mary replied. "No, we're going to walk like normal people."

"It's not very far," Dean added. "I can run there and not stop one time."

"You could probably run to the moon and back without stopping with all the sugar you just ate," John chuckled.

"I didn't eat sugar," Dean said squinting his eyes. "I ate breakfast. Can I push Sammy in the stroller?"

"Umm," Mary thought as she strapped Sam into place. "I don't think that would be a very good idea, kiddo. Not along the road. Next time we go to the mall you can push him around a little bit there. There aren't any cars."

"Okay," Dean shrugged as he opened the front door. He bounced down the walkway, waiting for his parents to catch up as they maneuvered Sammy in the stroller down the front steps.

"Would you like to ride on my shoulders kiddo?" John asked when they caught up with him.

Dean nodded excitedly and reached his arms up toward his father.

"Do you think I'll be this tall one day?" Dean asked as he gripped his father's forehead so he wouldn't fall. "I like being this tall. It's fun. I can see over the trees and maybe touch a cloud one time."

"You might be," John agreed. "I don't see why not, if you keep eating your vegetables like mom says."

"I will," Dean agreed. "If it mean I get to be the tallest boy in the world."

They continued on their short walk, just enjoying the sunshine and fresh air after the winter. It was the first time they'd been able to go out as a family since Sam was born. It was great being together in the house, but a stir crazy Dean was one of the worst things either of his parents had ever had to live through. It was an extraordinarily beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, warm enough to not wear a jacket, just picture perfect for Sammy's first day out and about.

When they arrived at the park, John placed Dean back on the ground and he took off toward the large play structure made out of old tires. From the looks of things, every other family in the neighborhood with children under seven had the same idea. Mary and John found their way to a picnic table not too far away from the play structure near the family that lived kiddie corner to them.

"Good morning, Joyce." Mary smiled. "Happy Mother's Day."

"Out and about all ready," Joyce laughed. "How are you doing?"

"Real good," Mary nodded. "We're doing real good. Dean's actually been really great, way better than I thought he would be. I mean, he said he'd be the best big brother he could, but I was afraid he'd be rough with him. He's been good."

"I told you," Joyce said. "You got all worried for nothing."

"He wants to do stuff with Sam that Sam's not big enough to do," Mary shrugged. "He wants to play pirates and wrestle and all the stuff that he sees your boys doing. He's not a very patient little boy."

"He'll understand someday," Joyce said. "Right now he just wants a playmate."

"Yeah," Mary sighed. "It's cute though."

"I think he knows if he asks enough eventually we'll get annoyed and give in," John added. "He's a smart kid. Wears us down slowly."

"He's not that bad," Mary laughed. "And he's not go tie a cape onto a baby because I'm annoyed that he's asked six hundred times."

"Give it a couple months," John nodded. "I will bet you money you'll be looking for a Robin Onesie come October."

"That's not even the same thing," Mary said shaking her head.

"Just wait," John smirked.

Dean came running up the slight hill with grass stains already covering his knees.

"Daddy," he gasped out of breath. "You need to push me on the swings so I can go higher."

"Alright," John nodded standing up.

"There's a tire swing," Dean continued. "And me and Jamie and Brandon can fit on it, and you need to push us on that. We want to go really high."

"Okay, I'm coming," John smiled. Dean grabbed his hand and the two of them walked off toward the swings.

"John's been a lot better too," Mary whispered as they walked out of earshot. "When we had Dean he got so freaked out I was worried that he'd do that again. But he's been amazing. He even made breakfast this morning! Last year he took us out, and I don't think he's gotten over the trauma of a half asleep Dean out in public. He's really trying this time around. I was scared, but it looks like I got nothing to be scared of."

"I told you," Joyce replied. "I told you he'd figure it out and learn how to be a dad. Motherhood just comes naturally to some people, fatherhood can be a learned skill. He just had to figure out what his role was."

"He's not used to being bossed around," Mary chuckled. "And John's right, Dean does tend to get his way most of the time. He kind of runs the show, but I mean, I'm trying to do everything I wanted my parents to do."

"My boys run the show too, Mary," Joyce replied. "Don't think for a second there isn't a family on this block that's any different. When he's a little bigger, things will change, but who in their right mind would look at your little boy's face when he asks you to play superheroes with him and say no."

"His cuteness is sort of a problem," Mary laughed.

"Let's see the new one," Joyce said nodding at the stroller that Mary was pushing back and forth with her foot. "I think it's time for Sammy's debut!"

Mary stood and took the tiny bundle out of the stroller and handed him off to her friend. "He should be waking up soon. John fed him before I woke up but that was at least two or three hours ago."

"Isn't he just the most precious thing?" Joyce cooed. "Does he look like Dean did?"

"No," Mary chuckled. "I think he looks more like John's mom. Definitely Winchester Family dark hair. Dean looked just like my baby pictures."

"They smell so good," Joyce said rocking Sam back and forth. "I could just smell baby smell forever."

* * *

When John and Dean made it to the swing area, Jamie and Brandon were already on the big tire, waiting.

"You pick me up?" Dean asked holding his hands above his head.

John lifted him and placed him on the empty area of the swing.

"How high are you boys looking to go?"

"All the way," Brandon nodded. "As high as we can."

"Let's do this then," John sighed as he rolled up his sleeves.

He pushed the boys a few times while they complained that they weren't going high enough, then started to push harder until he had to stand on his toes to push them more.

"Higher!" Dean yelled.

John nodded and grabbed the tire on it's next swing toward him and ran as fast as he could pushing the swing way over his head. The boys squealed excitedly.

"That high enough, boys?"

A chorus of yeses giggled down.

John leaned against the fence watching the swing go back and forth while the boys about whether or not to ask John to do it again.

"We want you to do it again," Dean announced as the boys slowed down.

"Are you sure?" John smiled.

"Yes," the boys agreed.

"Alright, one more time," John said. "Then I don't think I can do it again. I'll have to push you regular."

"Okay!" Dean nodded as John started the process again. Running under the swing again as fast as he could.

"There you go boys," John nodded.

"Thank you, Daddy!" Dean called down laughing.

John leaned against the fence again, just listening to that laughter. It was one of the best noises he'd ever heard. Dean had one of those contagious laughs that make everyone around him smile.

"Thank you very much Mr. Winchester," Jamie smiled as they jumped down off the swing. "That was the best."

"Yeah," Brandon nodded in agreement. "It was way higher than I thought you could push us."

"You're welcome," John nodded.

"Do you want to come with us?" Dean asked. "We're gonna go to wooden bridge, and maybe go on a zip line."

"You think you're big enough for a zip line?" John asked.

"I'm not a baby anymore," Dean said shaking his head. "I'm big enough."

"I don't know kiddo," John said shaking his head. "It's kinda scary. I don't know if big enough for that yet."

The zip line was one the bigger kid side of the playground. John knew that Dean was in no way big enough to go down the zip line. He saw crying and a lot of blood in his future if he let Dean go on that zip line. Mary would have his head on a platter he allowed their son to go on that thing.

"Do your parents let you go on the zip line?" John asked the other boys.

"No," Jamie whispered. "But I really want to. Maybe if you watched us we can do it."

"I don't want you boys to get hurt," John said. "How about we save the zip line for when you're in first grade?"

"That's forever," Dean pouted.

"Your mother would kill me if I let you go on there."

"It can be a secret!" Dean pleased. "You don't have to tell her."

"Dean," John sighed. "Just play on the rest of the playground. I don't want you over there. You'll get hurt."

"Fine," Dean huffed. "You're not invited to play with us anymore."

"Okay," John shrugged. "I'll go sit with Mom and Sammy."

Dean turn and ran in the other direction toward the jungle gym with his friends, leaving John behind.

John walked back up the hill toward his wife. Hoping the boys would listen.

* * *

"All pushed out?" Mary laughed as John rejoined them.

"I did the under push thing on the tire swing a couple of times," John replied. "Then the boys decided I wasn't cool enough to hang with them because I told Dean he couldn't go on the zip line."

"He's so not big enough for that," Mary said shaking her head. "He'll break his neck."

"I told him a less worst case scenario of that sentiment," John replied.

"He's gonna kill himself," Mary shook her head. "You know he's gonna do it anyway just because you said no."

"Yeah," John nodded. "And when he runs up here crying and bloody, maybe he'll learn a lesson about listening when we say no."

"Go stand by the zip line!" Mary yelled. "Prevent the worst case scenario, seriously, John."

"Alright," John sighed. "I thought I was doing it right. I'll go catch him when he falls."

"No, stay here," Mary said rolling her eyes. "Let him break his neck."

"Calm down," John sighed. "I'm going."

John walked back down to the fenced in area, where sure enough all three of the boys were in the zip line platform fighting over who should get to go first.

"I'm the oldest," Jamie said. "I should go first."

"I'm the youngest," Brandon argued. "I should go first. I never get to go first."

"I should go first," Dean suggested. "Because you two are fighting about it and no one's going."

"No," Jamie shook his head. "That's not fair."

"How about no one goes first," John said as he looked over the fence. "Because I'm pretty sure I told you all that no one was going on the zip line until you were bigger."

"I'm gonna do it!" Dean shouted grabbing the handles and standing on the platform. "I'm gonna do and it's gonna the most fun ever."

"Dean Michael," John warned. But Dean was flying across the playground.

"Son of a-" John sighed making his way around the fence into zip line area. Dean was about halfway to the end of line as John watched his son's hands start to slip, and there was nothing he could do as he fell the six feet to the ground with an audible thud.

"Do not move," John yelled to the brothers standing on the platform wide-eyed. "I told you boys not to play on this. Stay right where you are Dean. I'm right here."

Dean was laying on his back on the ground coughing when John got to him. He hadn't started crying yet, but John knew they were moments from an explosion.

"This is why you have to listen to dad," John said as he scooped Dean up.

Dean gasped for breath as John carried him to the platform and laid him down flat.

"I'm broken," Dean whispered.

"I think you just go the wind knocked out of you," John said as he checked Dean's arms, legs, and ribs for any sign of damage. "Are you gonna listen next time?"

Dean sniffled and nodded, tears leaking out of the sides of his eyes. "I'm broken."

"You're gonna be okay," John insured him. "Why don't you two go play on the little kid half of the playground?"

"Yes Mr. Winchester," the brothers said softly.

John scooped Dean up again and carried him back to Mary.

"What happened?" Mary shouted. "Exactly what I said was going to happen isn't it?"

"He's fine," John replied. "Nothing broken. He got the wind knocked of him. He'll be fine. Your boys got a nice life lesson about listening too."

"Where are they?" Joyce said quickly. "They didn't go on that stupid thing did they?"

"No, Dean was the only one," John said shaking his head. "I sent your boys off to play in their section of the playground. They'll probably be heading back up this way before too long. They looked pretty terrified about what they watched."

"We're taking him to the hospital," Mary said quickly as she placed Sam back into the stroller.

"I watched him fall," John replied as he placed Dean down on the picnic table. "He fell on his backside, landed flat on the ground. There weren't any rocks for anything, it's all soft grass like the people who designed the park knew something like this would happen. He just had the wind knocked out of him. He'll be fine."

"I'm broken," Dean mumbled.

"He didn't hit his head," John continued. "He scared himself. He'll be fine. He'll be running around about in a few minutes."

"If he's not fine by dinner we're taking him to the hospital," Mary said.

"That sounds fine," John nodded. "But he's okay. I swear. I checked him out, no broken bones, he didn't lose consciousness. I was ten feet away when he fell, I did everything I could to stop him."

"I didn't listen," Dean said softly. "I thinked it be fun. It was not fun at all. I gotta listen better to Daddy."

"Are you okay sweetheart," Mary said running her fingers through Dean's hair.

"I think so," Dean whispered nodding a little bit. "I'm sorry I didn't listen and ruined the park."

"You didn't ruin anything, Dean," John said.

"I ruined Sammy's big day at the park," Dean said as he started to sit up. "I ruined everything on Mother's Day, because I was bad at listening to Daddy."

"It's okay, buddy," John insured him. "As long as you're okay. You're not hurt real bad, everything's gonna be fine. You think you can go play some more?"

"Can me and Sammy go down the little slide?" Dean asked, still breathing heavily as he sat up completely. "I wanna make sure Sammy has fun at the park."

"He's awake," Mary said looking over at John.

"If they go on the little one Dean can climb up and I can hand him Sam," John agreed. "He knows how to hold him."

"Alright," Mary nodded. "Only one time, and only the little slide. Then I think it's time to go home."

"You should carry me," Dean asked looking up at his dad.

"Alright," John nodded as he stepped closer and picked up his son.

"Can I leave the stroller with you for, like, ten minutes?" Mary asked Joyce.

"Oh, yeah," her friend nodded. "I'm not going anywhere. It's good to see you're okay, Dean."

"I almost made Jamie go first," Dean said sheepishly. "I would be very sad if I broked him."

"Well, no one got hurt real bad," Joyce said smiling. "You'll know better next time, right?"

"Yes, I will," Dean nodded.

"Thanks, Joyce, we'll be right back," Mary said as she removed Sammy from the stroller and the family of four headed back down the hill to the play structure. Off to the side was an area for toddlers, a set swings with leg holes, a big sandbox and small slide. John placed Dean down on the ground and they watched as he climbed the short ladder to the top and sat down, waiting for his little brother. John took Sam from Mary and placed him in Dean's arms.

"Hold him real tight and don't let go," John said. "Hold him right up against you and hold his head still like mom showed you."

"Okay," Dean nodded, doing exactly what he was told. "Are you ready for this Sammy? Slides are most fun you can have."

He used his feet to pull himself right to the edge and slid down holding his brother as tight as he could. At the bottom, he looked down at Sammy who was reaching out of the blanket toward Dean's face.

"Was that fun?" Dean asked him. Sam just grabbed at Dean's nose. "I thinked it was fun. When you get bigger we'll go down slides all the time, and you will have lots of fun."

"You ready to head back, Deano?" John asked.

"I want to go down the slide again," Dean said. "But you said only one time. So I guess so."

"Let's go have lunch sweetie," Mary smiled. "We'll let you rest up."

John took Sammy from Dean and Mary lifted Dean up off the slide. The four gathered the rest of their stuff from the picnic table and headed home for the day. Dean felt like he could walk again by the time they reached the road and held his mother's hand tightly as they walked home.


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: John Winchester is a very angry man in this chapter. There is corporal punishment and a very loud argument that turns slightly physical ahead._

* * *

After a long hot July day at the garage, there was nothing John needed more that to just relax, have a nice dinner and sit for a little bit. He was looking forward to having Dean climb into his lap, hearing about his day. After the day he had, it would excellent. Customers couldn't seem to understand that is was impossible for one man to work on four cars at once or the concept of a line. Everyone that walked in that day was annoyed by the heat wave that was hitting its fifth day and patience had worn thin with everyone in the area. John just needed a nice cold beer and some quiet time. Nothing sounded better to him than to sit down in his recliner, watch the news, and have his little boy climb into his lap and tell him about the invisible bad guys he's taken care of while his wife finished cooking dinner.

Before John even opened the door, he could hear Dean screaming at the top of his lungs.

"You're a bad mom! The worst! I hate you! I hate you more than everything!"

"Oh, this is gonna be fun," John sighed shaking his head, those thoughts of a nice relaxing afternoon dissolving as he turned the door knob. John opened the door slowly and kicked off his shoes. His wife was pacing with Sammy, who was sniffling into Mary's shoulder.

"Hi," Mary said with a big fake smile on her face. "Welcome to the fun house."

"What's going on?" John asked.

"I won't let Dean jump off the back porch wearing a cape," Mary smiled. "He told me the cape will make him fly. I told him he was going to kill himself and now I'm the worst mom ever. Sam wants to go to sleep but Dean's being a brat, so he can't. That's why he's crying. Welcome to an average day."

"Did you put him in time out?" John asked.

"He's in time out," Mary nodded. "He won't go up to his room, but he will lie in the time out corner and scream at the top of his lungs."

"Did you try…" John started to ask.

"He's been screaming like that for an hour," Mary snapped. "So yeah, I tried it. Just let him scream until he's hoarse because he's not stopping otherwise. We just gotta wait it out."

"It's loud," John argued.

"Then by all means put him out on the front yard so the whole neighborhood can hear about what a horrible mother I am because I won't let my kid break his neck. I mean if it's really too loud for you."

"Is dinner ready?" John asked.

"No, John," Mary sighed. "I've been busy. Since Dean's being obnoxious, I was just planning on ordering something in. I'm too stressed out to try to cook something, and it's just too hot to stand over a stove."

"I worked all day I really don't want to come home to two screaming kids," John shouted over the screaming. "I just want to sit down and have a nice meal."

"Well, maybe you should have thought about that before you got me pregnant," Mary replied. "Because weirdly enough, this is what kids do, and it's at least six decibels louder in the kitchen. Nothing I do will calm him down. "

"Can't you freakin' control them?" John yelled.

"You go," Mary said making a vague hand gesture toward the kitchen where Dean was screaming. "See if you can get him to be quiet. Have the time of your life. He's overtired and cranky. He doesn't care that Dad had a long day at work and expects the Cleavers when he gets home. Real life ain't like that. But go, since you know better than I do. I got a baby to deal with before I can deal with Dean."

Mary turned and headed up the stairs with Sam, who was still sniffling against her shoulder as he tried to fall asleep.

John walked into the kitchen and picked Dean up off the floor by his armpits.

"Get away from me!" Dean screamed. "Don't touch me I'm mad. No no no!"

John sat down with Dean in his lap and did his best to hold him still.

"What's wrong?" John asked as calmly as he could.

"I hate Momma!" Dean growled.

"I got that," John nodded. "Why?"

"She won't let me fly!" Dean screamed. "I can fly! I had a cape on. I wouldn't have falled and Momma said no and put me in time out for trying to jump of the stairs. But I know I can fly."

"You can't fly, Dean," John sighed. "Boys can't fly."

"Superman can fly!" Dean fought wiggling to try to get out of his dad's grip. "Acuz he has a cape!"

"Superman is an alien," John replied. "Spiderman can't fly."

"Spiderman doesn't have a cape!" Dean yelled.

"Batman doesn't fly," John nodded. "He doesn't have any super powers. He wears a cape."

"I can fly," Dean growled. "No one will let me try. You're being a jerk just like Momma. Let me go!"

"Knock it off," John warned. "You have to stop yelling and fighting."

"Or what?" Dean spat. "You're gonna make me go to time out? I've been in time out all day! If you send me to my room, I'm just gonna play with me toys. There's nothing you can do about it!"

"You need me to spank you?" John asked. "Cuz I got no problem doing it. You got a major attitude problem little man. I think it's about time someone fixed it."

"I don't have an attitude problem!" Dean screamed. "You have attitude problem. Momma has fun problem. I hate both of you!" Dean struggled against John's strong arms trying to get away before biting his father's hand.

"Son of bi- look you little shit," John growled as he spun Dean so he was lying across his lap. "You don't bite people and you don't tell you mother you hate her for no reason."

"I have lots of reasons!" Dean screamed. "You weren't even here you don't know. I will bite you if I want! You are being mean to me and I do not like it!"

"I'm giving you one more warning to knock it off," John said, the anger still very clear in his voice. "Then, I'm gonna spank you. Do you want that?"

"Let go of me!" Dean screamed and wiggled. "You're stupid, I hate you!"

"You've been warned," John sighed as he pulled his arm back and swatted Dean.

"What are you doing!?" Dean screamed. "Don't hit me!"

"Then calm down and act like a big boy," John replied, sending three more slaps to Dean's behind as he spoke.

Dean's screams changed to a whimpering. "Stop hitting me," he said very softly. "Stop hitting me."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Mary asked as she appeared in the doorway. "Don't hit my kid."

"Momma," Dean whimpered. "Make him stop."

Mary grabbed Dean away from his husband, holding him close to her.

"I'm sorry," Dean sniffled. "I'm sorry I didn't listen and I yelled and I was bad. Don't let Daddy hit me again."

"I won't," Mary said softly. "It'll never happen again. I promise. How about you go upstairs to your room? I'll be up in a little bit."

"Okay," Dean nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, baby," Mary reassured him before placing him gently on the floor. Dean walked behind his mom, keeping her between him and his father then ran up the stairs as quickly as possible. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Mary whispered angrily the second Dean's door closed.

"He won't calm down," John replied. "I warned him, he wouldn't listen. That's exactly what would have happened if I was his age and was acting like that. And you can't look me in the eye and tell me it didn't happen to you too."

"And now your son is afraid of you," Mary argued. "Is that what you want? You want Sammy and Dean to grow up afraid of you? What do you remember of your father? You remember him bending you over his knee? Is that what you want them to remember when they're grown up?"

"I want them to behave," John sighed. "If that's the only way to do it…"

"You're hitting the boys," Mary yelled. "Never… you're not going to lay a hand on either of them ever again."

"If they need to be kept in line, I'll do what I need to," John replied. "Shut Dean right up. Got him to listen. He isn't screaming on the floor anymore is he?"

"They aren't soldiers," Mary pleaded. "They don't need to be kept in line. They're little boys. You don't have to hit little boys to get them to listen! He's a baby John. You really want to teach him that the only way to get what you want is to hit people?"

"He bit me," John said standing up.

"So you tell him no and sit him in the corner," Mary shouted. "Don't hit my kids. They don't learn by being terrified that if they step out of line they're gonna get hit. They learn because we teach them what's right and wrong. It's not going to keep Dean from miss behaving, that's going to keep Dean from misbehaving in front of you. He's going to grow up afraid if you keep doing that to him. It's not fair to him. You teach love, John, not anger."

"Well that's working real well," John said rolling his eyes and closing the distance between the two of them. "You got kids screaming all over the place!"

"This was the first time since Dean was a baby that you've come home and there was baby crying," Mary defended. "This is literally the first time since Dean was born besides the three days I was in the hospital after Sam was born that dinner wasn't on the table when you got home from work. You don't get to stand there and tell me I'm not doing my job. Because I do what I do all day a whole hell of a lot better than you could ever do. Leave you alone with a crying kid for ten seconds and you beat him."

John stepped closer to Mary until he was right in her face. "At least I was doing something."

"You don't scare me," Mary smirked. "And God help you John Winchester if you lay a hand on me it will be that last thing you ever do. I'm not one of your soldiers either, John. You aren't my boss and I don't have to put up with you. You ever touch my kid like that again you'll be removing your balls from your throat."

John did his best to stare her down, breathing heavily out of his nose while refusing to break eye contact.

"Get of my face," Mary said calming staring right back at him. "You can't intimidate me. I've seen things you're worst nightmares can't compare to."

"Like what?" John laughed. "You've barely left Lawrence your whole life."

"I don't have to prove myself to you," Mary said pushing at John's chest. "Now get the hell out of my face so I can go check on my kids."

John shoved Mary back against the wall.

"Get out of my house," Mary screamed as loud as she could. "Get out of my house!"

"I pay the bills," John said shaking his head.

"Get out," Mary growled seriously. "Get the hell out or I will take those boy and you won't see any of us again."

"If that's what you want," John shook his head as he stepped back as he held his hands in the air. "Fine. I'm gonna go pack a bag, and I'm gone."

"Don't even think about talking to Dean," Mary said, tears stinging the corner of her eyes. "Just get the hell out."

John nodded and walked up the stairs, Mary right on his heels. While he went into their bedroom to pack a few days' worth of clothes, she walked into Dean's room to comfort the sobbing boy curled into a tiny ball on his bed.

"Are you okay, Deano?" Mary asked softly as she lay next to him and rubbed circles on his back.

"You're mad at Daddy because I'm a bad boy," Dean whispered.

"No," Mary replied. "I'm not mad at Daddy because of you. I'm mad at Daddy because of Daddy."

There was a knock on the door frame. "Can I talk to you?"

"No," Mary said firmly. "You've said everything you have to say, and I don't want to hear anything else."

"Mary, let's try to talk this out," John sighed. "I didn't mean…"

"But you did," Mary interrupted. "You did, and you can't take it back, and I'm not living with that guy. I didn't marry an angry horrible human being. Just go."

"Right," John nodded. "Okay then, you know where I'll be if you want me," John turned and walked away, duffle bag in hand.

Mary sat there doing her best to comfort Dean as she heard John walk down the stairs and out the front door.

"Is Daddy gone forever?" Dean mumbled, rolling over to look up at his mom with his big green eyes.

"No," Mary said shaking her head. "And you don't gotta worry about it."

"Do I have to go to work now?" Dean asked seriously. "Daddy said that if he's not here, I'm the man of the house. I have to take care of you if Daddy's not home."

"No, baby, no," Mary ran her fingers through Dean's hair. "You don't have to worry about anything like that. Never, ever. You just focus on being four years old and learning how to read and write so we can be the smartest boy in kindergarten next fall."

"I can do that," Dean smiled. "I'm sorry I yelled like a baby. I won't try to jump off the stairs again. I might get hurted like I did at the playground. That hurted a lot. I just wanted to try one time, but it might be a bad idea. Daddy said that Batman, he's my favorite, he can't fly even though he has a cape. So maybe I can't fly."

"I just don't want you to get hurt," Mary said pulling Dean close to her. "You can play superheroes all you want, but I don't want you to jump off things. The last thing Mom wants in the whole world is for you to get hurt."

"I understand," Dean nodded. "I'm sorry Daddy was mean to you. I could hear you yelling. Daddy had his really mad voice."

"You don't have to worry about it," Mary said squeezing Dean tight. "You shouldn't have to worry about it. You just remember that both me and Daddy love you and your brother more than anything in the world, and nothing is going to change that ever. Not ever if me and him are fighting. It has nothing to do with you. Understand?"

Dean nodded, although Mary could tell he didn't really understand; he was too little to understand. All he knew was his parents were yelling, and as far as he was concerned, it was all because of him.

"Alright, baby," Mary said forcing a smile. "You gotta be starving. What do you want for dinner?"

"Can I have cheese pizza?" Dean whispered.

"You want me to order pizza?" Mary chuckled.

"Yeah," Dean nodded. "I do."

"Alright," Mary smiled. "I guess so. But this is not a reward because you were awful all day. This is because Mom's lazy and doesn't want to cook anything tonight. You're still in trouble for throwing that big tantrum. You're usually such a good boy. I want that boy to come down for dinner when I call him, but until then, you are to say up here in time out. No playing with your toys. You just sit here and think about what would be a better way to deal things than just yelling and screaming."

"Yes, Momma," Dean nodded. "I'll be a very good boy from now on."

"That's my baby," Mary smiled running her finger though his hair. "How about after dinner we work on writing your letters and you can right Daddy an 'I'm sorry' card for biting him?"

"Okay," Dean nodded. "I bit him really hard. He was being kinda mean."

"He was trying to get you to calm down," Mary explained. "He shouldn't have hit you, but you need to listen when Mom and Dad tell you things. We've both told you that a million times. You have to keep your ears open and listen to us."

"I will be a better boy," Dean nodded. "Sammy will learn how to be a big boy from watching me, that's what Nana said, and I would be sad if he was mean to you and Daddy like I was."

"That's right," Mary smiled, standing up. "You have to be a better example, and I know you're a good boy if you want to be. So I'm gonna go order dinner. I'll call you down when it gets here."

Dean looked up at her and nodded. She did her best to smile as she walked from the room. She had to figure out what she was going to do about her marriage. There was a man that she loved more than she thought was possible and two boys that needed a dad. Before that moment of anger in the kitchen he's never done anything like that before. Maybe they just needed a few days apart to settle and reset, things had been very stressful since Sam was born, nothing as easy as it had been. She knew they'd figure it out. If any couple could survive it was them. She just had to figure out how to move passed seeing a side of her husband she's never seen.

* * *

_AN: The next chapter may be two weeks out. I have a research paper I have to write and put all my attention into for the next couple of weeks. Thanks for understanding_


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Part of this chapter has dialogue taken directly from Episode 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon **

Two days passed after the fight without a word from John. Mary knew he was trying to do what he thought she wanted, but his absence was wearing on Dean. He asked about when Dad was coming back several times and Mary was starting to feel guilty that she didn't have an answer. The afternoon of the second day, Mary took her boys next door to the home of Dean's arch nemesis, Elizabeth, and Mary's friend since middle school, Karen. Dean was in the basement where it was ten degrees cooler than the rest of the house, where he was no doubt being tormented by the older girl.

"I think you _may_ have over reacted," Karen said honestly after Mary explained what had happened in her kitchen.

"You think?" Mary sighed. "I mean, maybe. I don't want us spanking the boys. Dean's smart enough to know how to push buttons. That's what he was doing. He thinks if he can wear me down I'll give in, but I'm not gonna let him jump off things and break his neck."

"Oh, no, I understand that part," Karen smiled sipping her ice tea. "And I think you totally did the right thing after he pushed you. I would have done the same thing to Tony if he ever put his hands on me. But I think the situation got way out of hand and could have been handled better. With this heat, and two little kids and life, stress happens. But I think you freaked about nothing. If you came down stairs and John was, like, hitting Dean, like beating him up, that would be different. A couple swats on the butt isn't going to hurt anything. Maybe it's just what he needed to realize he's not running the show. Dean's a good kid most of the time, he's sweet and thoughtful, but that one percent when he's a little jerk he has to learn that you're not going to put up with it. Maybe that's what he needs to learn that Mom and Dad aren't going to put up with being a brat."

"Right," Mary nodded. "That makes sense. Now I just gotta figure out what to do about John."

"Call the shop and tell him to get his butt back home," Karen chuckled.

"He thinks I want space," Mary said shaking her head.

"Do you?" Karen asked.

"No," Mary said, huffing a laugh. "I mean I didn't expect him to be gone for two days. I expected him gone for the night. I expected him home for dinner yesterday."

"Call him when you go home," Karen told her. "You know he's at the shop, call him and tell him you're sorry, being home with two kids all day in stressful. You overreacted and you want him to come home so you can talk like adults."

Mary nodded and sighed. "I'm glad you live next door. It's a blessing. I'd go insane without you, I swear."

"An outsider's perspective is important sometimes," Karen smiled as she brushed a piece of hair out of Mary's face.

"Mom!" came a voice from downstairs followed by the sound of two children running up stairs.

"Did he pull her hair?" Mary chuckled.

"Or did she make him wear a dress?" Karen smiled as the two children ran up the stairs, Dean throwing himself at his mother.

"Guess what?" Dean smiled showing Mary a robot toy with a big smile on his face.

"What's that kiddo?" Mary asked. "Where'd you get it?"

"It's Optimus Prime," Dean explained. "He turns into a fire truck and he's a robot alien."

"Oh," Mary nodded.

"I traded," Dean smiled. "Not take backs."

"What did you trade for?" Karen asked Elizabeth, who was standing across the room looking a little bit too proud of herself.

"Dean," Mary said taking his hands in hers and looking him in the eye. "What did you trade? You didn't bring any toys with you."

"You might have to leave Sam here," Dean said softly.

It took a lot as Mary looked over to Karen to not start laughing. "You traded your little brother for toy?"

"A robot that turns into a fire truck," Dean correct. "Sam doesn't turn into a fire truck. He's no fun."

"You can't trade your brother for a toy," Mary smirked.

"No take backs," Elizabeth said side stepping toward Sam, who was asleep in his car seat by Mary's feet.

"I pinky promised," Dean explained. "You can't break a pinky promise."

"Sam's not a doll, Lizzie," Karen said seriously. "He's not a Cabbage Patch Doll. You gotta feed him and change him and rock him to sleep when he cries."

"I know," Elizabeth smiled. "I can take care of him. I'll be a good big sister."

"Okay," Mary replied. "How about you go wash your hands and I'll let you hold him. We'll see how you like it."

Elizabeth nodded excitedly and took off toward the bathroom.

"Listen, kiddo," Mary said pulling Dean up into her lap while he played with the robot. "You can't trade your brother for things. He could get really hurt. Okay? Something bad could happen."

"He could get cooties," Dean nodded. "Then if he came home everyone would get cooties that would be bad."

"Or something even worse," Mary explained. "No more trading Sammy for toys. No matter how cool they are."

"We don't have to worry about it," Dean smiled turning to his mom. "Because now he belongs to Elizabeth!"

"We'll see," Mary sighed placing Dean back on the floor as Elizabeth came running back in.

"No take backs," Dean reminded her. "I pinky promised."

Elizabeth pulled herself up onto the couch between the two women and waited. Mary took a sleeping Sam out of his seat and placed him in her waiting hands.

"You have to hold his head or it will fall off," Dean said quickly when he noticed that Elizabeth wasn't supporting Sam's head like his mom always told him to.

"That's not how it works," Elizabeth snapped back. "I can hold him without your help. I know how to do it. I hold my baby dolls all the time."

"You're gonna break him!" Dean yelled. "I didn't rip off Optimus Prime's head. Don't break Sam. I love him very much. Momma, she's gonna break him!"

"Lizzie," Karen said reached over maneuver Sam so that he was lay across Elizabeth's lap instead of against shoulder so he was better supported. "Dean's right, you gotta hold his head. A real baby isn't like a doll, I told you that."

Sam started to wiggle a little as he woke up. He stretched his little arms and looked up at the stranger holding him. He blinked a few times, then started sniffle, pressing his little fist toward Elizabeth's face as she leaned in.

"He doesn't like you either," Dean pointed out. "I teached him real good."

"Dean," Mary sighed. "Just let her hold Sam."

"She's going to break my brother," Dean protested as Sam started to cry. "I wouldn't have given him to her and I thinked she was gonna break him. She has lots of dolls. I thinked she'd know how to hold him so he doesn't get broken."

"It's okay, Dean," Karen said taking Sam away from Elizabeth. "No one is going to let her hurt your brother, not even a little bit."

"No, give him back!" Elizabeth yelled kicking her feet.

"Elizabeth," Karen scowled as she stood up to place the fussy baby back in his mother's arms. He blinked up at Mary and stopped crying almost immediately. "You can't trade people for toys. That's not how to world works."

"But he pinkie promised that I could keep him," Elizabeth argued. "I traded my robot toy!"

"I think you can have Optimus Prime back," Dean nodded as he held the toy up to her sideways. "I want to have Sam back. You'll break him."

"No take backs," Elizabeth smiled wickedly. "Too late. Sam is mine."

"No, Lizzie," Karen said shaking her head. "Miss Mary will let you hold him sometimes if you're on your best behavior, but you can't have him. You can't keep Sam. He's not yours. Dean's going to give you back your robot."

"But I want a baby brother," Elizabeth huffed. "Dean has a baby brother. Alexa has a baby brother, that's all my friends."

"You don't get the make that decision," Karen tried to explain.

"Mommies and Daddies have to," Dean nodded. "They go to the store and pick him out and then they grow in the mom. That's how I got Sam."

"Right," Mary nodded.

"I don't want to give him back," Elizabeth pouted. "He's my brother now."

"Sweetheart," Mary said sweetly. "You can't have Sam. I'm really sorry."

"I told you my mom would be mad," Dean continued. "I telled you it was a bad idea to trade, but you wanted to anyway."

"You pinkie promised," Elizabeth

"You can visit him," Dean said softly. "If you want. But you have to learn to hold him right."

Elizabeth crossed her arms across her chest. "It's not fair."

"Maybe one day you'll get a little brother or sister," Karen smiled as she played with Elizabeth's hair. "But not right now, not for a while."

"It's not fair," Elizabeth pouted.

"Life's not fair, sweetie," Karen sighed. "You can't trade a toy for a little brother, and you have to give Sam back to him mom and Dean. He's not yours. But Dean said you can play with him at his house or when they come to visit."

Dean nodded and smiled. "I told you it wouldn't work."

"I really want a baby brother," Elizabeth sighed.

"Maybe someday after you learn how not to break them," Dean said. "Let's go back downstairs and play."

"I guess," Elizabeth answered as she slid off the couch. "It's my turn to pick the game."

"It's always your turn to pick the game," Dean whined as he followed her back down the stairs.

"Well," Karen nodded. "That was interesting."

Mary laughed loudly letting her head fall backward against the couch.

* * *

That night, long after bedtime, Mary sat in bed reading _Christine _when there was a soft knock on the door.

"What is it Dean?" Mary said rolling her eyes.

"Can I come in?" Dean yelled.

"Yes, Dean," Mary chuckled. "Come on in."

"Momma," Dean said, walking up to the side of the bed dragging a teddy bear behind him. "I think I should sleep in your bed."

"You do?" Mary asked placing her book on the side table. "Why is that?"

"Well I was thinking," Dean said taking a deep breath. "Usually Daddy sleeps in your bed, cuz it's really big."

"Mmhmm," Mary nodded.

"So I thinked, that your bed is lonely," Dean continued. "And that you need company. So me and Bear we decided to come keep you company."

"Well, that's very thoughtful of you," Mary smiled.

"I'm very thoughtful," Dean nodded. "Can I sleep in your bed?"

"Sure," Mary smiled. "I don't see why not. But Sammy's gonna cry in the middle of the night. I can hear it on the monitor. I gotta get up and get him when he does."

"No problem," Dean said as he did his best to climb up onto the big bed. "I'll just sleep, though."

Dean placed his head on his mother's shoulder.

"Are you okay, Buddy?"' Mary asked running her fingers through his hair.

"I just miss Daddy," Dean yawned. "I want him to come home."

"Me too," Mary replied. "I'm going to call him again in the morning and talk to him."

"You tell him I'm sorry for being bad?" Dean asked. "Tell him I'll never ever be bad ever again?"

"Deano," Mary said seriously. "Daddy's not mad at you. He didn't leave because of anything you did. I want you to remember that."

"He telled me one time that he would always kiss me good night," Dean told her. "Because his Daddy didn't, cuz he goed away. But forgetted that he telled me that. And now he's gone forever."

Mary's heart broke listening to her little boy miss his dad. She knew how much it hurt to think you'd never see your father again; how it felt to know it was all your fault, but she was an adult when she lost her parents. She knew the choices she was making when she made them. She couldn't imagine how much it must crush her little boy to feel all of that.

"He's not gone forever," Mary replied seriously. "He'll be back. He'll be home really soon. I promise, okay?"

"Can you promise me another thing?" Dean whispered.

"Anything, sweetheart," Mary replied.

"You're not gonna go away," Dean mumbled as he pushed himself as close to her as he possibly could. "You can't go away from me never ever. Even if I'm a grown up. I don't want you to go away."

"Dean," Mary said seriously. "It's gonna take an act of God to get me to leave you. Nothing will ever come between me and my boys. And when Daddy comes home, nothing is ever going to make him leave you again either. Me and Daddy are going to fix what Momma broke. You're never gonna have to worry about it ever again."

"Okay," Dean smiled. He wrapped his arms around hers and yawned softly. "When Daddy comes home, do you think we can go fishing?"

"I don't see why not," Mary answered. "You got that new fishing rod for Christmas you haven't used yet."

"Next time it rains," Dean said sleepily. "I'm gonna dig up lots of worms to go fishing. Then we can catch lots of fish. It will be the best time."

"I'm sure your Daddy would love that," Mary smiled. "Now go to sleep, kiddo. I'll talk to you more in the morning."

"Okay," Dean said finally closing his eyes and falling to sleep.

For a long while she just watched him sleep, teddy bear tucked under his arm. It wasn't until Sam started to fuss through the monitor that her trance broke.

* * *

While Dean ate breakfast, Mary spoke to John on the phone across the room. Dean tried not to listen, but it was hard not to when his mom was getting upset.

"Just come home," Mary pleaded. "We can work this out… for the boys… Dean misses you much. He's… John, seriously… I want to talk to you face to face. It's only… Stop... Stop making this about you, John. It's not about that anymore… come home… Fine… Call me later then since your job is so much more important than your family."

Mary slammed the phone back down onto the hook and leaned against the wall doing her best not to cry.

"Are you okay, Momma?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, Dean, I'm fine," Mary smiled weakly.

"Do you want me to sing the Sad Song to you?" Dean asked. "Make you feel better?"

"What sad song?" Mary asked walking across the room and sitting next to him.

"_The_ Sad Song," Dean explained. "The one you sing when I'm sad and can't sleep."

"_Hey Jude?_" Mary chuckled.

"I don't know," Dean shrugged. "It goes 'I'll sing the sad song til you feel better.' Those are the words."

"Not really," Mary smiled. "But you're close. Finish up your breakfast. I'll play some music while we play for a while until Sammy wakes up again."

"That sounds like fun," Dean smiled. "Are we gonna learn stuff?"

"You want to learn some more words and letter?" Mary asked.

Dean nodded excitedly. "Yeah. So I can read to Sammy when you are busy."

"You like Sam again?" Mary laughed.

"I didn't not like Sam," Dean explained. "I just wanted a robot, and it was Elizabeth's idea to trade."

"I don't doubt that for a moment," Mary smiled. "Finish up, put your bowl in the sink and I'll get the workbooks."

"Yes, Momma," Dean nodded as Mary stood up and walked away.

After Sammy woke up, Mary sent Dean upstairs for a while. He'd gotten a pretty cool Hot Wheels set so he sat on the floor playing with that, letting the cars spin around again and again with a big smile on this face. He couldn't wait until the next time Jamie and Brandon came over so he could show them.

"Dean…" Mary called leaning into his room. "Hey Dean are you hungry."

Dean nodded before putting his cars away and running down the stairs in front of her.

"I'm very hungry," Dean told her as he sat at the kitchen table in front of a peanut butter and jelly.

"You want me to cut the crusts off?" Mary asked as she poured him a glass of milk.

"Yes please," Dean nodded. "I would like that very much."

Mary did so then kissed Dean on the top of the head as the phone started to ring.

Dean turned in his chair, sandwich in hand to watch him mom. He knew it had to be his dad on the other side of the phone by the way Mary's body changed after she said hello.

"No, John," Mary sighed. "We're not having this conversation again… Think about what? ...You've got two boys at home…"

Dean wanted his Dad to come home more than anything; he didn't like how his mom was so sad.

"Fine," Mary sighed into the phone. "Then don't. There's nothing more to talk about."

Dean placed his half eaten sandwich back on his plate and walked over to his mom.

"You get to explain it to Dean," Mary said her voice breaking. "You get to explain to him that you're so mad at me about something stupid that you can't come home again. I'm not doing it." She hung up the phone with a slam and took a deep breath to keep from crying.

Dean wrapped his arms tightly around her legs and looked up at her. "It's okay Momma, Daddy still love you, I love you, too. I'll never leave you."

"You're my little angel," Mary smiled a little too brightly, cupping the little boy's face. "Did you finish your sandwich, you want some pie?"

Dean nodded as Mary let go of his cheeks. He climbed back up into the chair and ate the rest of the sandwich while Mary prepared him a piece of pie.

"I was thinking," Dean said as his mom sat across from him with her own piece of pie. "What if me and you and maybe Sam even though he can't go anything, we maked Daddy's favorite dinner?"

"Why?" Mary asked.

"Acuz Daddy will smell it," Dean explained. "And then he will come home and he will eat it and he will remember why he loves it here with me and you and maybe Sam."

"Why don't you like Sammy?" Mary asked chuckling.

"I like him," Dean defended. "He's just no fun."

"He'll be fun soon," Mary promised.

"You keep saying that," Dean huffed shoveling pie into his mouth. "But it's been days and days and he's still no fun."

"Chew," Mary sighed. "Swallow, then talk. It's not that hard to remember that."

"You keep asking me questions when I have food in my mouth," Dean huffed crossing his arms across his chest.

"Maybe I'm testing your ability to remember not to talk with your mouth full."

"Maybe you're tricking me," Dean pouted.

"Don't be a brat," Mary said shaking her head. "When you're all done, how about you help me give Sammy some lunch. You can sit in my lap and give him a bottle?"

"I guess," Dean shrugged. "I want to like Sam more, but it's hard when doesn't do nothing. I want to play with him. But I thinked you thinked I will hurt him. I won't. I'll be gentle."

"We'll work something out so you can play with Sam," Mary nodded. "Maybe I'll lay him on the floor for a bit and you help him play with his toys."

Dean nodded and smiled as he finished his pie. Mary dropped her plate in the sink and went into the living room to get Sam out of his play pen.

"Whenever you're ready kiddo," Mary called. "Put your plate in the sink and grab a bottle from the fridge."

Dean ran from the kitchen to the living room with the bottle in hand. Mary maneuvered herself and Sam around so Dean could fit between them. Sam squirmed and smiled at them, pressing his fist into Dean's face a little.

"I don't think he likes very much," Dean said softly. "He hits me a lot."

"He likes you just fine," Mary insured him. "He hits me all the time too, and throws up on me and all sorts of other gross stuff like that. That's how baby's show love."

"I don't want him to throw up on me that's gross," Dean replied shaking his head.

"If you do this right," Mary explained showing Dean how to hold the bottle. "They you don't have to worry about spit up or anything like that."

Dean nodded and did exactly as his mom told him; making sure the bottle didn't drift too far down and humming softly as he watched his little brother.

"He's kinda cute," Dean decided when Mary took the bottle away.

"You gotta slide down, Deano, I gotta burp him," Mary explained.

Dean slid down, sat on the floor and looked up at his mom with a very confused look on his face.

"He doesn't even know how to burp?" Dean asked skeptically. "Everyone knows how to burp. I can burp right now!"

"Don't," Mary warned as she placed Sammy against her shoulder. "Don't be gross."

"Can I teach Sammy to burp?" Dean asked.

"When he's bigger," Mary sighed. "Yeah."

"That's gonna be the first thing I teach him," Dean said excitedly. "Cuz it's real important."

"That's… that's awesome," Mary said shaking her head. "I can't wait for that to happen."

"I'm gonna start plannin' all the stuff I gotta teach Sam," Dean said, a huge smile growing across his face. "I gotta teach how to talk and how to roll over and how to burp and how walk and how to read stories and how swing on the swings and the best hide and seek places."

"That sounds a lot of stuff," Mary nodded as she patted Sam on the back.

"Yeah," Dean nodded. "He better start growing up soon. We got a lot to do."

Mary laughed as Sam started to make noises again. "I'm gonna lay him down on the floor. Be _very_ careful around him, but you can play with him. Watch his fingers and if he starts fussing, you call me. I'm gonna go switch the laundry. Think you can handle it?"

"I think so," Dean nodded. "I get to put my big brother skills to the test."

"Right," Mary said placing Sam on the floor. "Don't let him put anything in his mouth." She walked to the play pen and pulled out the toy that went Sam's head. "Pull on the different parts of this. They play music and light up. Sam really likes that. Do not leave this room until I get back."

"Okay," Dean agreed. "I'll be real good."

"I'll be back in five minutes, at the most," Mary said. "Make be proud, Dean."

As Mary walked away, Dean lay on his stomach next to his brother and pulled on the butterflies down. Sam kicked and reached up for it.

"You like this toy, Sammy?" Dean asked. "Momma said I had a toy like this when I was baby and I really liked it. I wish you could play on the playground with me. You'd have a lotta fun. The most fun."

Sam reached toward Dean as the butterfly's song stopped play, so Dean pulled down the next piece, one that lit up in different colors.

"I'm sorry I tried to trade you away," Dean whispered leaning in real close. "I didn't mean to really give you away. I like you a little bit, but Elizabeth is kinda bossy and she made me. I'm glad Momma got you back, though. I'd be very sad if she got to keep you and breaked you. I think Momma thinks I don't like you, but I do. You're just kinda weird. I want you to be bigger, but it hard to wait. I'm excited to teach you stuff. You want to learn stuff?"

Sam wiggled a little bit as Dean pushed the little mirror in the middle of Sam's toy back and forth.

"Yeah," Dean said softly. "I'll teach you all sorts of stuff. You'll be real smart." Dean kissed Sam on the forehead before rolling onto his back and looking at Sam's toy with his brother.

Mary stood in the doorway with the clean laundry watching her boys. Suddenly she felt that everything was going to be okay. It didn't matter of John came home or stayed at the shop forever, everything would work out. She had her boys, her beautiful little boys and nothing was ever going to stand in the way of that.

**AN: So in the course of writing this, I discovered that the Transformers started in 1984, not 1983. But I've mentioned in several stories that Dean traded Sammy for a Transformer but Mary stopped it. So I'm sorry for this continuity error and poor research.**


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, Mary awoke with Dean pressed tightly against her again. He hadn't asked if he could join her last night. He just snuck in after she'd fallen asleep and snuggled against her. He was hiding it well, and although he asked about John very often Mary knew that he was missing his daddy a lot more than he was letting on. He hadn't climbed into bed with her for a long time. And there was no talk about monsters under his bed or in the closet or nightmares like most of the times before. She was dealing with a stubborn man, she knew that when she married him, it was so out of character for him to just give up. Their marriage wasn't something she'd ever be ready to just let go of. She'd work too hard making sure she was doing everything right. She wanted her fairytale. She wanted her two little boys to grow up with a dad. She knew John wanted that too. He wanted his boys to grow up knowing they were loved. It felt stupid to let a silly fight get in the way of their happily ever after. Mary knew it was still within reach, she just had to show John that it was still there.

"Good morning baby boy," Mary whispered playing with Dean's hair. "It's time to get up. Time for the day to start."

"One more minute," Dean mumbled.

"Alright," Mary nodded. "I'm gonna go get your brother and start breakfast. I'll meet you down there."

"One more minute," Dean said again rolling over and snuggling his bear against his face.

Mary collected Sam and brought him down to the kitchen. She placed on the chair that she used to bathe him and placed him next to the fridge while she cooked eggs and bacon. She didn't like leaving him in the other room when there was no one else around, and it looked like Sam enjoyed watching her cook.

Dean came down right as she was finishing up the last of the toast, and climbed up into his chair.

"Ready for breakfast?" Mary asked placing the plate in front of him.

"Always ready," Dean nodded. "Breakfast is important."

"What do you want to do today, kiddo?" Mary asked as she picked up Sam and brought him over to the table with her own plate of breakfast.

Dean placed his fork down and looked at his mom. "I think we should do more numbers today. And then I can play outside for a little bit."

"You liked working with numbers?" Mary smiled. She had started to teach him simple addition a few days earlier.

"It's really hard," Dean replied. "But I like it."

"How about for lunch we make a picnic?"

"Like Yogi Bear?" Dean asked excitedly picking his fork back up.

"Yes, exactly like that," Mary nodded. "I was thinking we can bring it over to Daddy's work and we can have lunch with him. I know you miss him."

"I would like that very much," Dean agreed with a mouth full of eggs.

Mary sighed and shook her head, eating her breakfast with her boys.

* * *

"Can I help make the sandwiches?" Dean asked pushing a chair across the kitchen toward his mother. "I'm a good helper."

"I know you are," Mary smiled. "But why don't you go get the picnic basket out of the hallway closet? It's on the bottom shelf."

"Okay!" Dean agreed and ran off.

He opened the closet door where they kept the winter coats. He noticed that his dad's big leather coat had fallen to the floor. Dean did his best to get it back up on it's hook but it was too high for him, so he decided that he would bring it to his mom so she could hang it back up. He grabbed the picnic basket, but quickly realized that he couldn't carry the basket and the jacket. He thought about his options for a moment, then decided to put the jacket on and carry the basket. It was just easier that way. He slipped his arms though the sleeves, his arms not even making it halfway down the sleeve, the bottom dragging on the floor as he walked back into the kitchen with the basket.

"Here you go," Dean smiled, placing the basket on the chair he has pushed across the kitchen. "I getted it."

"That you very much," Mary nodded turning to look at him. "What are you doing?"

"What?" Dean shrugged. "I getted the basket."

"Why are you wearing Daddy's big coat it's hot out?"

"It falled on the floor," Dean explained. "I can't reach the high hooks, so I bringed it to you so you can do it."

Mary pulled her son close to her side in a little bit of a sideways hug. Dean looked so small in that jacket, but so adorable.

"You ready to head out?" she asked softly.

"I gotta put my shoes on," Dean nodded. "Is Sam coming?"

"Yes, Sam's coming, we can't just leave him here," Mary chuckled.

"We can," Dean replied. "No one will know. Sam won't even know."

"We're bringing Sam," Mary said sternly. "We can't leave a little baby at home all by himself."

"Why?" Dean asked looked up at her wide-eyed.

"Because I said so," Mary answered. "Give me that jacket, go put on your shoes while I get the baby stuff so all three of us can go surprise Daddy at work."

"Are we walking there?" Dean asked, slipping out of the coat.

"Yes," Mary nodded. "It's just a little bit further than the park. Not that far at all."

"Will you carry me?" Dean asked.

"No, you can walk," Mary replied. "You're a big boy remember, and I gotta carry Sam, Sam's bag and the picnic basket."

"That's why I thinked we should leave Sam here," Dean explained.

"So I can carry you?" Mary smirked.

Dean nodded. "It's easier for you to carry me when Sam is not there."

Mary knelt so she could look Dean right in the eye. "We're taking Sammy with us. We're keeping him. Sam's staying. We're not getting rid of him."

Dean huffed a big sigh.

"I thought you liked being a big brother?" Mary asked.

"I would like it a lot more if he did things," Dean sighed crossing his arms. "I like him, but I can only like him so much when doesn't play with me."

"Just a little bit longer," Mary promised. "He has to be just a little bigger before you can do things with him. I promise, really soon."

"He gets in the way of Dean and Mom time," Dean complained.

"We had a good time this morning," Mary replied placing a hand on Dean's cheek.

"But Sam was right there," Dean pouted. "Just sitting there, in not even a real chair, on the table, doing nothing. I don't get to sit on the table."

"Dean," Mary said. "Listen, Sam's not going anywhere, and everything he's doing, you did when you were a baby. It will all be even when he gets bigger. Right now, I still gotta do everything for Sammy. You can do a lot of things for yourself. I've explained this to you a whole bunch of times. You can be a good big brother if you stop trying to get rid of Sam. Now, go put your shoes on so we can head out."

"But!" Dean whined stomping his foot. "I don't want Sam to go!"

"Too bad," Mary replied. "Go put your shoes on."

"You're the worst," Dean huffed crossing his arms across his chest and running off.

"I know," Mary sighed to herself. "Worst mom ever, refusing to leave an infant in a playpen alone in a house for hours."

* * *

When Mary got her boys situated, Sam in his baby backpack strapped to her, diaper bag over her shoulder, picnic basket in one hand, Dean's calm hand in the other, they headed out for the fifteen minute walk to the shop John owned.

Twenty minutes later they were about halfway there, since Dean had to stop to touch dandelions and throw rocks.

"Look a puppy!" Dean yelled dropping Mary's hand and running toward it.

"Dean, come back here, leave the dog alone," Mary called after him.

"I can pet it one time," Dean told her.

"No, you may not, come back here and hold my hand," Mary scowled.

"I want to pet the puppy!" Dean screamed.

"We don't know whose dog that is, you cannot pet a strangers dog," Mary explained. "Get over here, now."

"No!" Dean yelled stomping his foot. "Why are you so mean to me today! I just want to pet the dog."

"Stop being a brat, and get over here now."

"I will not!" Dean yelled as he turned on his heel and ran off down the street and around the corner.

"Son of b-" Mary sighed under her breath. "What are you gonna do about your big brother, Sammy?" She walked to the corner of the street, expecting to see Dean standing there waiting for her, but the road was deserted. No trace of her little boy anywhere.

"DEAN!" she screamed at the top of her lungs causing the few people standing in the yards to turn to look at her, but no sign of Dean.

* * *

John felt something hit him in the leg as he worked on Mr. Harrison's old Ford. He looked down to see a mop of blond hair hugging him.

"Hey, Dean," John said confused. "Where's your mom."

"I ran away from her," Dean mumbled into John's coveralls. "She's mean to me."

John leaned down and picked up the boy. "What do you mean she was mean to you?"

"First, she likes Sam more than me," Dean started. "Then she said that Sam had to come with us, even though he can't even eat sandwiches. And then she wouldn't let me pet the puppy."

"Dean," John said seriously. "We've talked about this before. You can't just run off when you think mom's being mean to you."

"You did," Dean replied looking up at his father with his big green eyes. "So I comed here to live with you."

"Oh, kiddo," John sighed hugging Dean close, leaving big greasy hand prints on the back of his shirt. "Your mother is going to kill me."

"Can I help you work?" Dean asked. "I'm a really good helper. I like helping you with the cars."

"I don't think it's a good idea to have you out here," John replied. "But you can help me work on the big car at home. How about we bring you into the office with Angie until your mom gets here."

"I can help her?" Dean asked.

"We'll see," John nodded placing Dean back on the floor and taking his hand. They climbed the short staircase to the windowed office that overlooked the garage where a redheaded woman was sitting behind a desk reading a magazine. "Hey Angie, can you watch him til his mom gets here?"

"This isn't a daycare," Angie sighed. "I'm not a babysitter."

"You're not much of a receptionist either," John answered. "Watch the kid for minute."

"Sure whatever," Angie shrugged.

"Make sure he doesn't kill himself," John barked.

"Maybe his parents should have thought about that before they dropped him off at a garage," Angie sighed.

"He's my kid," John said rolling his eyes. "Just do what I ask. His mom will be here in a minute. I got work to finish. It would be nice if you did the invoices like I asked you to do yesterday, since it's part of you job instead of reading a magazine."

"Yeah okay," Angie shrugged as the phone started to ring. "G and W Garage this is Angela."

"Behave, okay," John said to Dean. "Sit in that chair and wait here for mom. Don't bother Angie while she's on the phone. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay Daddy," Dean nodded as he let go of John's hand and climbed into the chair next to the door.

John turned and walked out to stand in front of the building to wait for his no doubt frantic wife to show up.

When Angie hung up the phone, Dean started to ask her questions."What's your name, I'm Dean Winchester."

"Angela."

"That's pretty I like it," Dean smiled. "What do you do? Maybe I can help. I'm a good helper."

"I have to answer the phone and fill out paperwork," Angie answered. "I don't think it's anything you can do."

"I can write letters," Dean nodded. "I'm very good at it. My mom says so."

"I don't think your dad would like it too much if his work orders were filled out in crayon," Angie smirked. "So just sit there and wait."

"I called on a phone one time," Dean continued. "I called my dad and telled him that my brother was being borned."

"I answered that phone call," Angie sighed, clearly annoyed.

"Do not like little kids?" Dean asked. "You seem mad at me."

"I'm not really a big fan of kids, no," Angie said shaking her head as she picked up the magazine again.

"Okay," Dean replied kicking his feet back and forth. "I'm a good kid though."

"I'm sure you are," Angie nodded. "That's why you randomly showed up with no parents."

"I ran away because my mom is mean," Dean explained.

"Oh, right," Angie said rolling her eyes. "I got work to do, so just be quiet."

"Okay," Dean mumbled, looking down at the floor.

* * *

Outside, Mary appeared on the corner of the property looking frantic.

"Someone took my baby!" she screamed going as fast as she could with her arms full and Sam on her back. "John, someone took Dean. He's gone."

"If anyone took him, they'd give in back in twenty minutes," John joked.

"This isn't funny," Mary cried. "He took off because I told him he couldn't pet some strange dog and now he's gone. He's gone forever and the last thing I did was yell at him."

"He's not gone," John started.

"Yes he is!" Mary shouted. "He's gone! We have to find him!"

"Mary, calm down," John said, taking the basket from her hands and placing it on the ground. He places his hands on either side of her face and wiped away her tears. "Breathe, it's okay."

"My baby," Mary said as she started hyperventilating.

"Is in the office with Angie," John smirked. "He wandered up about five minutes ago."

"He's here?" Mary said trying to even out here breathing.

"Yes," John nodded. "Dean's here. He's fine. It's okay. He's not gone."

"He's here," Mary repeated starting to breathe normal again. "He's not gone."

"No," John answered pressing his forehead to her's. "He's here. It'll be okay. No one took him."

"Where is he?" Mary asked softly.

"Up in Angie's office," John replied. "Go ahead."

"You take Sammy?"

John took Sam out of his baby backpack. Mary tossed it on the ground then took off running toward the building.

* * *

The door to Angie's office flew open without warning, revealing a frantic looking Mary rushing toward Dean. She scooped him out of the chair and held him as close as she could.

"Hi," Dean said.

"Never do that to me again," Mary scowled.

"What did I do?" Dean asked innocently.

Mary pushed away so she could look Dean right in the eye. "Never run away from me while we're walking somewhere every again. I thought someone stole you."

"Nope," Dean shrugged. "I just goed to Daddy."

"You have no idea how much you scared me," Mary continued. "Never ever do that to me or Daddy or anyone else ever again. You stay where I can see you always. I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

"I didn't get lost," Dean said pressing his eyebrows together. "I knowed where I was. We goed here all the time."

"Just promise you won't run off again," Mary sighed. "Promise me."

"Pinkie promise!" Dean said holding out his hand. "I'll show you." Dean took his mom's hand and extended her pinkie then wrapped his around it. "I promise not to run away again. You can't break pink promises. Elizabeth telled me all about it."

"Good," Mary smiled.

"Where's the picnic?" Dean asked. "I'm getting hungry."

"Daddy has it," Mary answered. "You wanna go get it?"

"Yes please," Dean nodded. " I don't want to have to sit in here anymore. I don't think Angela likes me."

Mary carried Dean out of the office and down the stairs, out to where John and Sam had already set up the picnic at the table where the guys in the garage usually took their smoke breaks.

"I like it when you carry me," Dean said pressing his face into Mary's neck.

"I know, baby," Mary answered. "But you're getting too big for me to carry you." She placed him down on the bench and took her seat next to him.

"See everything's gonna be just fine," John smiled as he reached into the basket to pull out lunch.

"Does this mean you're gonna come home with us?" Dean asked excitedly. "So I don't have to live here?"

"You were never going to live here, Dean," John said shaking his head.

"I said I was gonna live with you cuz Momma's too mean to me," Dean nodded. "But if you come home, then when Momma is mean to be, I can just go to you and you can fix it. Like today when I ran away and then Momma comed to you and then when I seed after she was nice again."

"I have missed you, kiddo," John said shaking his head. "I would love to spend two minutes in that head of yours."

"I missed you too!" Dean said as he bounced on the bench while Mary unwrapped his sandwich.

"Do you want PB and J or roast beef?" Mary asked.

"Is it grape jelly?" Dean asked.

"Do you like any other kind of jelly?" Mary replied.

"No," Dean answered.

"Then why would I make a sandwich with a different jelly?"

"To trick me," Dean said. "You trick me to eating vegetables all the time."

"Do you want a jelly sandwich or a meat sandwich?" Mary repeated.

"Peanut butter and jelly," Dean smiled. "That's my favorite."

"Crustless roast beef sandwich?" Mary asked offering it to her husband.

"I would love it," John smiled. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry," Mary said when their eyes locked across the table. "I am so sorry."

"You got nothing to be sorry for," John said shaking his head. "Absolutely nothing."

"We can fix it," Mary nodded, clearly trying to hide her tears.

"It didn't break," John reassured her, shaking his head. "I… oh Mary… I wish there was something I could do to take back the last couple days. I need you. I need you and the boys more that I've ever needed anything. I screwed this up. You don't deserve it. I don't deserve you. You're something from heaven I swear."

"So we can get passed this?" Mary asked. "We can be a family again?"

"Yeah," John smiled. "If you'll have me."

"If you don't move back home, then I'm gonna marry Momma," Dean said. "I'll steal her away."

"I think you're going to have to wait a little bit before you steal her away, kiddo," John smirked.

Mary looked down at Dean and started to play with his hair. "So you'll be home for dinner?"

"I gotta finish Harrison's car," John said honestly. "He's picking it up tomorrow and I've still got a bit to do on it. Harrison doesn't want the kids working on it. No promises, but I'll be sleeping there tonight."

"You'll say goodnight to me!" Dean smiled.

"Of course," John replied. "I'm never gonna miss saying goodnight again. I swear."

The little family sat and ate their lunch while Mary filled in John on the excitement that happened while he was away. John watched his little boy stuffing his face with pretzels and sandwich and promised himself he'd never let that kid down again. Those three days alone, as much as he thought he needed them, were the worst three days he'd had since he was overseas. Nothing hurt more than seeing that hurt on Dean's face. Never again, he swore, never again.

* * *

**AN: ****Thank you to mandancie for the idea for the major plot of this chapter. ****Sorry this took so long to get up. There were just no words coming. Hazards of writing. **

**Thank you for reading!**


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